Hello friends and family! For those of you who don't know, Stone and I met way back in middle school and I have had a secret crush on him since (how could I not!!). Unknown to my knowledge at the time, Stone had the same feelings. We had never really talked until 2019, (I was always scared), which was super brief. However, in 2021 I finally got the courage to reach out to Stone and finally let him know how I felt... and the rest is history! Come join us in celebrating our love. We promise it will be a good time!

Since the day Shannon and I truly got to meet I knew I was going to marry her. I had known who she was for long enough but never knew her on a deeper level other than knowing her name and admiring her beauty. As cliche as it might sound it felt as if God had made her just for me and brought her into my life at the time I needed her most. After talking for some time we eventually spent Memorial weekend together in Miami and I was able to take her to Key West, she said she had never been. We spent hours talking to each other about things we’ve done, passions, dreams, with all conversations leading back to “I can’t believe you felt that way about me for the longest time” or “Im just so happy that I’m finally here with you.” Being able to spend the long drive talking with her only made me realize how genuine and loving of a human being I was in the presence of and truth be told I fell for her before we even left for The Keys. One weekend she took me to Blind Pass along Manasota Key Road by where she grew up. A road that is covered by banyan trees and eventually opens up along the beach.  Towards the end on this mile and a half stretch there is a single large Australian pine that sits close to the corner of the pass. Besides the seagrass that grows close to the shore it is the only large natural structure within a few miles on the beach that not many know about. After leaving the beach that day I knew where I wanted my knee to meet the earth. Shannon and I never went ring shopping, she had no idea that I wanted her to be in my life forever. But my plan was to get a ring that reminded me of her. Gold like her heart, a twisted band that representing our souls being intertwined and a sharp edge Marquise representing her beauty that could stop my heart in an instant. Two more months went by and planning out the proposal was a time crunch. I wanted everything to come from the heart, nothing bought, custom made, all for her. Hand picked plants and flowers and a beach bed for us to watch the sunset after she (hopefully) says yes. Shannon and I spent all of our time together and I knew it would come down to the day of to bring everything together.  It was a race against time on the 10/10/21 but with the help of a friend we made it happen. I told Shannon earlier that day since we have nothing to do we should go down to the beach for sunset, knowing good and well that she would never deny a beach sunset trip. I got back to the house after completing my “errands” to pick her up, put on my special engagement shirt and we made our way. We parked and made our way down the beach toward the Australian pine. Walking down the beach with her hand in mine it felt like we were the only two people on earth. We got closer to the pine my heart was racing and it was hard to keep conversation because all I could think about was the next part. We eventually reached the pine and we saw the gazebo but at this point I couldn’t wait any longer. I turn my back toward the Gulf I tell her “Meeting you has been the single greatest thing to ever happen to me, you make me feel like I could conquer the world and I can not see myself living another second on this earth without you by my side.” I remember the feeling of my knee in the sand while looking up at her. I ask “Will you marry me”. When she said YES I don’t remember a happier moment in my entire life. A rush that only happens once in a lifetime. Embracing her was felt like the solidified bond and putting the ring on her finger is an image in my mind that can never be erased. I love this woman more than life itself and there are no words in any language to describe the way I feel. To put a cap on the perfect proposal we spent the next few hours on the beach and watched the sunset on a cloudless horizon. Everything is perfect. Im still falling to this day and the free fall will only stop when I take my final breath. In my next life, my soul will not be full until I find her again.