In May 2018, Craig and I met through mutual friends. At the time, he was working at a startup in Atlanta, and I had also moved back to Atlanta after college. I had plans to apply to medical school, but that year I learned two things: I did not want to go to medical school nor did I want to stay in Atlanta.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤ

In January 2020, I decided to take a completely new direction and moved to Tampa to attend Physician Assistant school—and six months later, someone said to me "you know Craig moved down there too, right?". Craig had coincidentally made the move as well! Not knowing many people, it felt like a blessing to have a friend nearby, especially during the chaos of COVID. At a time when the world felt uncertain and restrictions were never ending, our circle became small and close-knit. In many ways, that season brought us even closer together. What started as friendship quickly became one of the most meaningful relationships in my life as we spent our days getting to know each other more. We were going to the beach, trying new restaurants, watching movies and shows, spending weekends together, and talking about everything and nothing at all.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤ

By the summer of 2021, our friendship had grown, and we officially started dating. Two weeks after he closed on his condo, I remember sitting on his balcony, hesitant to share with him that I had always dreamed of living in New York City. With my graduation looming, I had plans to look for a job in NYC. Not sure how things would turn out, he asked me to wait for him. So I did, all in hopes that I could make that dream come true and that he would also be right there with me. We continued to soak up life in Tampa together until June 2024, when we finally made the move and settled into our beautiful apartment in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤ

In October 2025, we took a trip to Acadia National Park in Maine for my birthday. Surrounded by the stunning fall mountain scenery, Craig got down on one knee and asked me to marry him—and of course, I said yes!!!

ㅤㅤㅤㅤ

The rest is history - I’m excited for the story to continue… part 2 coming soon 💍🕊️🤍 5.1.2027

Of the two of us, Amy has always been the big picture thinker. I’m usually the one sweating the details. In that spirit, I’ll let her do the storytelling, while I simply share a few of my favorite memories I have with her.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤ

I remember our first big vacation together to Yosemite National park, when we learned that we like to travel at the exact same pace. Neither of us had cell service, but we didn’t need it. There was never a dull moment.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤ

On Saturday mornings in Tampa, before the day got wickedly hot, you could find us having coffee and breakfast on our balcony, watching the cruise ships come in and talking about our dreams for the future. Imagining the future was one of our favorite topics of conversation, and we’ve made much of it come true since then.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤ

One time, Amy told me the story of when she was robbed in Piedmont Park. In spite of the danger, she stubbornly refused to give up her iPhone and scared the assailant away by screaming as loudly as possible. That was the moment I knew I would not be winning any arguments with her. I was right.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤ

We had the idea of a road trip from Tampa to Los Angeles and back, which we did. We got to see the whole southern half of the country together! There was hiking in the desert, biking around Santa Monica, bonfires on the beach, surf lessons, visiting with old friends, making new ones, and trying just about every bowl of ramen the city of LA has to offer. But some of my favorite moments were on the road, a little delirious from the highway, laughing at stupid jokes.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤ

Amy has always fit in so well with my family, to the point that one day, my sister added her to our family group text without consulting me. I remember thinking, “Well, I guess that means she’s family now.”

ㅤㅤㅤㅤ

I remember our frequent poolside grill-outs with all of our friends, watching the sea turtles come in to lay eggs at Melbourne Beach, getting caught out in a torrential downpour in the Scottish Highlands, enjoying the fall colors on our drives upstate, watching the sun rise on Cadillac Mountain, and so many others.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤ

Our move to New York City has been a new chapter for us. The city has opened many doors and has also presented many challenges. (I’ll never again take a dishwasher for granted.) Although much has changed, Amy is still the big picture thinker, I’m still sweating the details, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. We’re grateful to have such incredible people around us as we take the next step of marriage together. Can’t wait to celebrate with you all.