To give some history – when David was a senior in high school, I was a freshman. I transferred to Charlotte Christian my sophomore year, so David had already graduated. So, we never met in high school, but all of my friends knew him and his friends since they overlapped at Christian. The end of summer 2018 (August 4th to be exact), we were both in town with our high school besties, and both coincidentally chose to go out to the same bar - Ri Ra's. Walking in, my friends shouted out in excitement as they realized David and his friends were there too! I did not know any of them so I politely greeted all of them, but only one caught my eye.. :) David and I talked and talked by the bar for hours - with some dancing here and there of course. As we stood at the bar in front of the bartender, one of the first questions David asked me was, "So, how old are you? You're 21 right?" I replied, as any underage person in a bar would, "Yes!" I thought since he knew my friends and their ages, that he would know better. David still brings up that one of the first things I told him was a lie. But, even with the small white lie, David and I founded the most perfect relationship on trust - the foundation upon which a marriage could be built. I am so grateful for that night at Ri Ra's, as it brought me my future husband!!

11am rolls around and Mackenzie still hasn’t showered… she just wants a casual lunch (spoiler: it isn’t). I’m frantically texting her mom to tell Mackenzie she smells while they’re at the grocery store. It works. Our Sunday afternoon brunch is back on. I poke at my food, Mackenzie scarfs hers down, and Jeb and Addy carry on a 45-minute dialogue (I’m too nervous to contribute). As we’re wrapping up, Mackenzie opens her ‘Find my Friends’ App and sees her brother AJ is in Uptown Charlotte too. What a coincidence (!). AJ plays it off cool – he’s just “meeting a work friend” next door. Nice. Mackenzie still has no idea. I’m told to stall so that our families can get in position, so the four of us meander around the park until there’s no more meandering to do. It’s time. I start my speech – “I love you so much, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you…” [no recollection beyond this point, but I assume I proposed]. Here comes the ring. Cue the photographer, cue both families around the corner, cue friends at the restaurant next door. We spent the rest of the evening at Merchant & Trade (the 2nd best bar in Charlotte) surrounded by friends and family that we love and toasted to a wonderful engagement.