We both remember our paths first crossing online in April 2020—that is, if you don’t count the Sunday morning shift when Logan was working at Pauley's and wanted nothing to do with the guy trying to hit on him to convince his brother he could. Five years later, immediately from those first messages back and forth, we knew something was going to be different with the one on the other side of the app. We were intrigued, eager to learn more and, frankly, not quite sure what to exactly make of one another. Within a day, plans had been made to meet for our first date.

In case you didn’t do the math in the paragraph above or just would like to forget that period of life, the fact it was April 2020 meant our options were very limited on where this date could be. So after tossing around a few ideas and realizing quickly that they were all closed, we set plans for Will’s loft. Perhaps we were suffering from isolationism and not being around other people for a few too many days or maybe it really was something special. We found ourselves talking for hours and the one glass of wine Logan planned to stay for turned into something closer to a bottle… or two. As the elevator doors shut to cap off the evening, whatever doubt there may have been was erased, and we both instinctively knew it really was something special.

And so we jumped right in, hitting the road for a weekend trip to Savannah for our third date… because what better way to get to know someone than four hours on I-16 and a few uninterrupted days away. Also, anyone who knows Will knows he can be a bit impatient when he doesn’t get his way, which also was a motivating factor—the Perry Lane was the first hotel within driving distance to guarantee that the pool would remain open and operating notwithstanding whatever may have been going on in other parts of the world (Savannah was not participating in that). That weekend turned out to be a much-needed escape from the shutdown world for us, and we quickly discovered our shared love language: red wine and a delicious meal that lingers on for hours. Although, we both will also be the first to admit that a Mich Ultra and peel-and-eat shrimp out in the sun somewhere on the coast is a close tie for second place.

So things continued on like this for a few months, and not long into our relationship, we loaded in the car and back down I-16 for the Kelley Family Fourth of July on Hilton Head. Some would say that we took off on a family vacation too early into things. His family at least knew we were dating before Francis pulled her car into the garage that day though, so we gave it a longer runway than some. Too early or not, that trip solidified things for us. And once back to shore after Logan was nearly swept out to sea on an ill-advised midnight dip into the Calibogue Sound, the first “I love you” slipped out.

From there, we built our life together—a life that, frankly, neither of us thought we’d find. We’ve navigated graduations, career changes, new homes, renovations, another new home, pup fatherhood and quite a few cars along the way.

So then, after what felt like an eternity, Will finally proposed in January 2025 nestled with some of our closest friends in a cozy corner of the bar at the Hotel Chelsea. Ironically, he proposed for his own birthday and had originally intended to wait until our dinner reservation alone for a more intimate moment, rather than in front of four of our friends. However, just three hours after arriving into town, he couldn't hold back any longer—notwithstanding the eternity that he’d already waited—and got down on one knee. And, actually, there in the corner of a hotel bar, surrounded by the ones we love and who love us, was the perfect setting for who we are together.

Our wedding day at The Greystone Inn on Lake Toxaway is a lot like that and a celebration of our love and the traditions we've built together. Year after year, we’ve visited this special place for our anniversary, and it holds a dear spot in our hearts. On the drive home from one of our visits, we picked up co-best boy, Addison, making it even all the more special. We love it because it returns us to our love language—red wine and a delicious meal that lingers on for hours—and we sincerely hope that everyone who joins us for this weekend feels the same warmth that draws us back year after year.