The year was 2018. Shea had just finished her first year of OB/GYN residency at Winnie Palmer Hospital in Orlando. Ben had just moved down to Florida after graduating medical school from the University of South Carolina. They first met at an OB/GYN resident welcome party. Shea thought this must be the cool new resident that everyone was excited about. Ben thought this must be another resident’s family member. They were instantly attracted to each other, but they both knew dating a co-resident wasn’t a good idea, right? Right?!

Despite their better judgement Shea and Ben took a day-trip together to Cocoa Beach the week after meeting. They bonded over their shared love of people watching, Pub Subs and Banana Boat Tanning Oil (SPF 4). Ben fell for Shea’s life-of-the-party presence and a laugh that can be heard through walls. Shea fell for Ben’s go-with-the-flow attitude and endless supply of jokes. They decided to take the most responsible approach to their relationship and kept it a secret from their co-workers. But we all know the truth comes out eventually. They grew close in their first year of dating and even traveled to France together. They ate snails, missed connecting trains and stayed in questionable Airbnbs all while having the trip of a lifetime. Ben knew he was in love with Shea even if she had the audacity to proclaim that she “museum-ed better” than him. Their trip to France made clear what the future had in store. Later that year they moved in together, continued to endure residency together and even caught the flu together. There were various travels, beach days and learning how to live and work through a pandemic. They were a team but felt there could be more. As the holidays approached, Shea spent her rotation “researching” all goldendoodle puppies located within the southeast. Two weeks into the rotation, Madison had become a part of the family, and the only thing left to do was to make it all official!

Shea was looking forward to having Amanda, her close friend from medical school, visit from Nashville for the weekend. She was expecting her to arrive in Orlando late on Friday night. Ben suggested in the meantime that they go on a dinner date to one of their favorite restuarants, SoCo in Thornton Park. Little did Shea know that Ben and Amanda had carefully devised a plan for a surprise proposal that evening. Amanda had actually arrived to Orlando early Friday afternoon. While Shea and Ben were at dinner, she went to their house and decorated the back patio with candles, flowers, pictures and champagne. Shea and Ben then returned home after dinner and drinks to a house lit with a pathway of candles guiding them out to the backyard and decorated patio. That’s where Ben got down on one knee and asked Shea to marry him. She said yes!! and they all spent the rest of the evening celebrating the new engagement.