How We Met
The story of how my fiancé and I met gets pretty complicated. His older sister and I played soccer against each other most of our lives, and never quite got along on (or off) the soccer field. I’ve known his family through Brandi and I’s competitive relationship for several years. Since Tyler was 10. The summer of 2013, I was invited as a guest on a family vacation to Florida with a close friend of mine and Tyler’s family was also invited to join this “family vacation.” Two families (+ me) headed to the coast together to enjoy the summer sunshine, beach and drinks! The morning we left, sleepy Tyler crawled into the back seat and I remember thinking to myself, “whoa! where has the time gone, he’s so grown up now!” Later that morning, we stopped for breakfast and for the first time we made eye contact I distinctly remember my heart skipping a beat. I knew. Once we arrived in Florida, Tyler quietly carried my suitcase to my room, and set up our adjacent rooms, as I quietly text my friends asking “how young was too young?” I was 23 at the time, and Tyler was 18. My best friends told me 21 was my limit. Good thing I didn’t listen. At the same time, I didn’t even know if he was seeing someone – but I had to find out, without letting anyone (in either family) know I was interested! After all, his family knew me as his sister’s biggest rival on the soccer field, how would they take to me wanting to date their son that was 5 years younger than me? Throughout the week we made jokes about being “married” to get him into nearby bars. It seemed to stick with everyone on our trip. One night at Coyote Ugly, I was a little bit tipsy and blatantly kissed him. I think it shocked both of us at the same time. After we got home from our vacation, I wrote in my diary that if I didn’t marry Tyler, I wanted to marry someone exactly like him. It took a lot of convincing him that I was serious about wanting to pursue him despite the age difference. Now, 4 perfect years later I get to marry him!
how they asked
Tyler & I love to travel. We’ve been to 7 different countries together and decided to travel back to Italy to spend my 27th birthday in Positano, a beautiful little beach town built entirely into the mountain side. Tyler made us reservations for the night before my birthday at an elegant restaurant overlooking the sea & the coast line, so I knew beforehand that I needed to pack a summery outfit for a special date night on the beach. He suggested we walk down a few minutes early to spend some time together before going to dinner, I agreed, the view from the beach is breathtaking – how could I pass up a little extra time with that view? After making it down the 300 stairs from our hotel room to the beach, Tyler took my hand and guided me towards the water. Before I knew it he was facing me, telling me about how he could not wait any longer to make me his wife. I knew at that moment, what was happening and my knees began to shake. Tyler got down on 1 knee and with the most beautiful, bright white diamond ring I had ever seen, asked me to marry him! Yes. Every day, yes.
Wiping the tears from my eyes, my fiancé whispered that he had a photographer nearby to take some engagement pictures of us for our future wedding. We had the sweetest Italian photographer capture some of our very sweetest moments together, and I will always be thankful to have these pictures as memories!