“Do you think the universe fights for souls to be together? Some things are too strange and strong to be coincidences.” ― Emery Allen You know those movie moments when two people meet and everything around them just seems to stop? Whether it was fate or the beers in our hands, that’s quite honestly how it felt when we first met in the summer of 2014. Despite many mutual connections in the Triangle, it took a spontaneous weekend in Charleston to bring us together. Joel had moved here about eight months prior when Allyson hitched a ride with her friend, a recent transplant from Charleston to Raleigh, for a last-minute trip to the Lowcountry. That fateful Saturday evening, we finally wound up in the same place at the same time: a small local music festival called the Summer Shindig. While her friend caught up with old pals inside, Allyson and Joel happened to strike up a conversation. We quickly discovered how crazy it was that we’d never met -- overlapping career paths, friendships, and interests should’ve brought us together, right? But we were meant to meet in that specific moment. Timing is everything. Fast-forward four years (and lots of driving up-and-down I-95, many whirlwind weekend visits, a move to Charleston, an adopted dog, a house purchase, career changes and curveballs), and now we’re getting hitched! Whether destiny or coincidence, we’re grateful for each other and for the incredible power of timing.