Tolan and I met in the most unexpected way during my senior year of high school.... at an Alabama football game. I was there with my parents, and he was there with his dad. Somehow, even before that night, we had been connected on Snapchat for years without ever truly knowing one another. When he spotted me in the crowd, he recognized me and sent a message asking if I was at the game. I said yes....and we truly haven’t stopped talking since.

About a week later, we went on our first date: a group outing in Birmingham with our closest friends. From that moment on, we were inseparable. What began as constant texting and lighthearted Snapchats quickly grew into a deep friendship, one we couldn’t imagine life without.

From the very beginning, Tolan has been by my side through every milestone. Because of COVID, I didn’t have the traditional four years of high school dances—but I also never missed a single one with him. From Sadie’s to senior prom, from my high school graduation through every chapter of college, he has been there through it all - the highs, the lows, and most recently, my college graduation. No matter the season, we have always chosen each other.

On September 6, 2025, he gave me one of the most meaningful moments of my life. He proposed at a small church in StillWaters that I have loved for years. A place I grew up admiring and where my grandmother was married. While it wasn’t where I had always imagined getting married, he found a way to make it part of our story forever, simply because he knew how much it meant to me. After I said yes, I turned to find my closest friends, who had been hiding nearby, ready to celebrate with us. We ended the evening surrounded by family at my parents’ lake house, a perfect and unforgettable surprise.

We will be getting married on our dating anniversary, making this next chapter even more meaningful. Five years to the day from when it all began, we will say “I do” and start our forever together.

Looking back, it’s incredible to think it all started with a single glance and a simple message. From the very beginning, something just felt right.