Our Story
Where We Met
We matched on the dating app Bumble in October of 2021. My opening line to Clay was that he must be loyal since he’s a Panthers fan. I quickly learned that loyalty was only one of many wonderful qualities about him!
I learned that he was thoughtful and generous when he bought me a birthday present before we even met for our first date. Our first date was at Salud Cerveceria for Wine Wednesday. It was the day after the Braves won the World Series — an event that I’ve waited my whole life for. It just so happened that meeting Clay the next day would be something I’ve waited a lifetime for as well.
We quickly became inseparable and lost track of the date count. Our dates ranged from Cam Newton’s return game to the Panthers where Clay had an “extra ticket” for me to the final home game of the season on December 26. We were sitting in the stands well after our team lost and Clay questioned, “Can I ask you something?” He officially asked me to be his girlfriend. “Officially” dating led us to even more adventures — one of my early favorites being our first trip to Asheville to ring in 2022. Clay and I wandered into a beautiful restaurant called Zambra. We talked about returning for years. On July 3, 2024, we finally did!
Getting Engaged
This was the surprise of a lifetime, marked by more adrenaline than I could handle. We laughed, I cried, and Clay said my eyes have never been wider. We were even more over the moon than when we originally stumbled into Zambra on the first day of 2022.
This is as much of a restaurant recommendation as it is a reminder of the best day of our lives so far. Consider visiting Zambra and ordering our favorites like the scallops, hanger steak, spring rolls, and Brussels sprouts.
Clay and I arrived in Asheville on July 3, 2024 with a long weekend ahead of us. Clay maintained this secret in a way I didn’t know he was capable of. The closest thing to a tell that he demonstrated was asking me what shirt was my favorite, so he could wear it to dinner. Clay always knows what to wear and certainly does not need my advice!
That special Wednesday we walked about half a mile to Zambra hand in hand. He was a bit quiet, which I perceived as determination to make our reservation on time. When we arrived, he asked the host to take our picture with the Zambra sign. We were fortunate the host had a steady hand and not only captured a great picture but also a video of Clay and me.
“Can I ask you something?”
The Wedding
When looking at the many photos snapped on our engagement weekend, there’s one of a beautiful Victorian home taken as a reminder to look into it later. As wedding planning began, I luckily came across their website.
Touring venue options in September 2024 was almost too easy. We were instantly won over by the hospitality of Zelda Dearest. We bonded early on in our relationship over a desire to elope, but we decided on an intimate wedding with only our parents in attendance as a way to honor them. We wouldn’t be here without them! We are endlessly grateful for their love and support.
Why August? Our practicality got the best of us. When could we enjoy celebrating our anniversary for the rest of our lives? We quickly took to the calendar to mindfully schedule around holidays and birthdays. By selecting August, we hope to emulate some of the great marriages that came before ours — like my maternal grandparents, who married over 60 years ago on August 9th, and my parents, who married on August 20, 1988.
When celebrating my parent’s anniversary on August 20, 2024, they gifted me my mom’s original wedding band. They wanted me to have the wedding band that started their marriage 36 years prior. Apparently, it’s good luck.
Zelda Dearest
Zelda Dearest is a gorgeous boutique hotel in Asheville, NC. Thoughtfully designed to preserve several Victorian homes on Lexington Avenue, it exudes charm, romance, sophistication, and creativity.