Matthew and I met on January 8, 2017. I was a senior at FGCU
and he was taking a break from college. He decided after
that Sunday service to come up to meet me after church. We
talked and automatically the conversation flowed. We got to
know each other that next week by constantly texting,
calling, in-person chats, and FaceTime chats. We would spend
over an hour on the phone with each other each night and
refused to hang up to the point sometimes I would fall asleep
while still on the phone. His smile and personality
automatically caught my eye. He was just so easy to talk to
and tell everything without feeling like I was going to scare
him away. Our first kiss I felt like my legs were going to give
out on me and I had butterflies. Fast forward to February 12,
2017 Matthew told me “We are going to do right and then
hopefully being dating and the whole 9.” He told me “I like
you Julie like it’s real.” On April 11, 2017, Matthew was the one to
say I love you first. That whole week I was really working up
the nerve to say it to him, but I was just so nervous. When he
said it, it was automatic ‘I love you too’ with tears of joy in
my eyes. On May 6, 2017, Matthew officially asked me to be his
girlfriend presenting a promise ring with two stones in each
other’s favorite color: purple and blue. April 9, 2021, is when
Matthew got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife
for forever and always. He is my best friend and my
everything. When I look at him my heart melts. Our story will
continue to grow forever and always<3

The proposal: We were going on a “date night.” Matthew was
able to borrow a Mercedes from his dealership for the night.

His friend let him borrow his Rolex watch. Matthew want me to wear a certain dress so I had a feeling, but I didn’t say anything so it didn’t ruin his excitement. On our way, in the car,
he kept looking at his phone and calling his friend. He said he
needed to stop somewhere first. So parked in this parking lot
and started walking holding hands and I saw this lawn with
a white gazebo decorated with Marry Me letters, rose petals,
candles, and pictures of us. As he led me toward the gazebo
our friends were there photographing and videoing the
whole thing. I couldn’t stop smiling the whole time.