How We Met

Our story began through a mutual coworker and friend. What started as a wonderful friendship quickly grew as we bonded over bottles of wine while watching The Bachelor, legendary battles in Mario Party, and a shared passion for exploring each others taste in music and new foods. We truly fit together like puzzle pieces, perfectly complementing each other’s humor and quirks from the very start.

Things officially fell into place when Brent and his cat, Cookie, packed up and moved into Rachel’s Southport apartment to join her and her cat, Soma. Blending our lives (and our cats) blossomed into a deep love rooted in constant laughter, quiet, slow mornings, and the irreplaceable comfort of being with your favorite person.

Though we’ve been fortunate enough to share many adventures and travel thousands of miles together, we always come back to the same realization: no matter where we go in this world, our absolute favorite place to be is just together. We are so incredibly grateful to have you here to celebrate the beginning of our next great adventure.

The Proposal

On November 22nd, 2025, during a short Thanksgiving weekend trip to visit Rachel’s family in Kingsport, Tennessee, I proposed.

With only two nights in town, the pressure was on to figure out the perfect time, place, and execution. I decided on Bays Mountain Park, using a long-standing wish to visit their planetarium as the perfect excuse to get the whole family together.

After we toured the planetarium, I kept an eye out for the right spot to pop the question. I noticed a walking path winding along the edge of the lake just outside, and asked Rachel to take a walk by the water with me. It had just rained, leaving the ground muddy, but the clouds broke and the sun came out just as we reached a bench sitting perfectly by the water’s edge.

We sat together for a while, talking and reflecting on our journey as a couple. When the moment felt right, I stepped into the mud, got down on one knee, and asked her to marry me. It was a beautiful, unforgettable moment, and the perfect beginning to the rest of our lives together.