After hearing a lot about each other through mutual friends, we finally got to meet at a New Years Eve Party at Brittany's house in Columbia. We hit it off immediately and the sparks were undeniable, but Brittany was in a relationship at the time. As our friendship grew, Michael always secretly hoped for more but thought all chance was lost when Brittany moved to Richmond, VA in 2015. Turns out, Brittany moved to Richmond for the wrong guy but the right guy moved to Richmond for her <3

As 2020 got more and more depressing, Brittany didn't have high hopes for her birthday. But Michael seemed determined to try and make it fun. They planned a hike for the day (spoiler: the hike was just a ruse) and Michael mentioned they'd stop on the way for lunch. When they pulled up to their favorite winery, Glass House, Brittany thought it was a sweet gesture - but it was the beginning of a long day of surprises! Not only did Michael arrange for the winery to open just for us so he could pop the question at a special spot, he had a friend (thanks, Grace!) there to photograph the moment and organized a video compilation of congrats from friends and family waiting later that night. In true 2020 fashion, there was a congratulatory Zoom call and since most restaurants were closed, some wonderful friends (thanks Kristen and Tina!) provided an impressive dining experience under twinkling lights on one of their front porches. It was a full day that was truly unforgettable (thanks to the many others who helped to make it possible!).