Just like any couple in 2021, we met on Bumble. We hit it off over a shared love of all things horror movies and Stephen King. Special shout out to Billy's movie-replica Annabelle doll for really sealing the deal! I was wrapping up my final semester at UT Tyler, so we had to wait a few weeks for our first date. When it finally happened, we went to our mutual favorite Thai restaurant in McKinney, and finished the night with Braum's ice cream cones and making each other laugh until they closed.

We spent the next three-and-a-half years going on amazing dates! Some of our favorites are featured in the pictures above!

One of our first "fancy dates" was to the Tulip Farm in Pilot Point to pick a bouquet and then go to dinner in Denton and visit the old bookstore on the Square. It was so windy, but we had a lovely time!

We also decided to take part in one of my favorite childhood activities, and see the Ice Show at Gaylord. We froze our butts off, went down the slides, and took some cute pictures in the Riverwalk!

Our love for horror is a true bond, so of course we had to go to a haunted house! And we took my trooper of a sister, who does not like scary! All in all, a great time was had, and Kayelee did not take us up on the next invite to a horror movie!

Not exactly a date, but our first trip together was to my best friend and MOH's wedding in Florida. Her wedding was gorgeous, and it was wonderful to introduce Billy to people who are so important to me!

In keeping with our shared love of weird, we took the opportunity to see the dinosaur animatronic exhibit at the Heard Natural History Museum. We may not have gotten perfect pictures, but we had so much fun!

Billy doesn't cook much, but I have a massive collection of vintage and specialty cookbooks. Needless to say, I wasn't sure how he was going to feel about going to a cooking class as a date. But we surprised each other and had such an awesome time, that we've gone back and taken more and we're hoping to take the rest!

While we don't always love the same music, Billy is always happy to go to concerts with me! We've been to so many concerts that I couldn't name them all, but there's something so special about hearing your favorite music with your person next to you!

We've been to the Dallas Arboretum dozens of times. We love to take pictures and just enjoy the beauty of the changing plants, and especially the koi pond! There's so many beautiful things to see, and the Christmas displays can't be beat. It's so near to our hearts, and we can't wait to go back and celebrate the joys of life to come.

Even though we've only had the chance a couple of times, we do love camping together! While we love our day-to-day life, it's lovely to take the opportunity to spend the weekend in natural peace with each other. Hopefully we get to spend weekends this way for years to come.

We moved in together in the summer of 2024.

We combined our books, built lots of Ikea furniture, and learned how to make a life together. Learning a person's habits and spending all your time together can be challenging at first, but we quickly slipped into a routine of love and care that can't be matched.

We also welcomed Billy's beloved dog Britt, and cat BabyCat (yes, he is giant) into our home, and I couldn't be more grateful for their love and companionship. We also had the beautiful opportunity to rescue a litter of abandoned kittens right before a winter storm. While two of them found a new home together (thank you to the Andersons, and I hope they have many playful years in your home!), three of them joined our family. Grayson, Mina, and MooCow bring us endless love and laughter.

In exciting news, we are purchasing a home together and will be moving in early spring! We'll be neighbors with my sister in Princeton, which is a move back home for Billy!

Everyone's favorite part, finally!

It should be no surprise that I helped plan my own proposal to an extent, especially since Billy is not very good at keeping surprises! I'd known he had the ring, and was just waiting for the right time in the middle of life's great chaos. By the time he started mentioning getting my hair done and sending me a picture of nails painted in OPI Funny Bunny with chrome on top, I was already 3 steps ahead. I suggested that he might want to see if my sister was available for our upcoming trip to the Arboretum, since I would just love to get some new pictures before the Christmas lights were installed.

The only things I didn't know were exactly what the ring looked like, and where he was going to stop to ask me. When we got into the secluded, walled garden right off of Whiterock Lake, I knew it was the time. I'd always told Billy I really didn't want a big, elaborate, and especially not public proposal. He did an amazing job picking the spot to make sure the moment was for us, and only us. My sister was able to capture the moment beautifully, and the ring is perfect! All those Etsy and Pinterest suggestions I sent him worked!

We spent the rest of the afternoon soaking in the joy of being freshly engaged, and doing a mini photoshoot around the rest of the Arboretum!

Like any bride-to-be in the Internet era, I had Pinterest boards ready to go, and wedding planning started the next day!

We are so excited for our wedding, and the opportunity it brings to celebrate our love with all of our loved ones. We can't wait to see you in October!