Brittany and Derek met through a dating app called Hinge (shout out to Samantha for getting Brittany started with it). Brittany was drawn to Derek's handsome smile and was intrigued by some of the similar interests they shared, she swiped right. Derek was wowed by a photo of Brittany in a red jumpsuit and her genuine, down to earth, responses to the application's prompted questions; he swiped right too! The match was made and the two started messaging while home (Brittany-Chicago, IL and Derek-Buffalo, NY) for the holidays in December 2018. Though talking through an app, Brittany liked that Derek offered more conversation than boring dead end responses. She could tell that he had a sense of humor (which she loves) so when he asked if she wanted to grab a drink when they returned to Nashville she happily said yes!
December 28th, 2018 Brittany and Derek went on their first date to Black Rabbit, a classy bar/restaurant in downtown Nashville Derek picked. It was the perfect balance of romantic atmosphere without feeling uncomfortable for a first date. The pair enjoyed a few early cocktails and 2+ hours of conversation, finishing each others sentences and discovering they had very similar goals and interests in life. Brittany didn't want the date to end but her friends were starting to load her phone with missed calls and text messages to come meet them on Broadway. You see, Brittany always went into a first date with a backup plan in case it was terrible. On this night she had planned to meet her friends downtown to catch her friend Tyson perform at Honkey Tonk Central. She was torn. She didn't want to leave Derek but she did really want to see her friends so she explained the situation to him and asked if he wanted to join her. To her surprise, he said YES!
Once at Honkey Tonk Central, Brittany was in her element with live music and friends. She was impressed that Derek was down to get on the dance floor with her to sing and dance to songs by Tom Petty and Sublime. He was getting along well with her friends too! By this time, Brittany had consumed more alcohol than she intended to on a first date, giving her the guts to tell Derek "I think you're really cute, I may try to kiss you tonight. But only if that's ok with you?!" to which he emphatically said "Yes! That's ok with me!" They had their first kiss and several more there on the dance floor at Honkey Tonk Central. They ended up closing down the bar that night!
Unfortunately, with "last call" happening across the city, it was near impossible to find a Lyft to take them home. In trying to find rides, they learned that they were actually neighbors and lived in apartment complexes across the street from each other! Since they couldn't find rides and they were having so much fun together, Brittany and Derek decided to extend the night by walking home together (roughly a 20-30minute walk). The conversation and laughs continued and a few more kisses exchanged beneath the Christmas tree at the Courthouse (hence the engagement photos by the same tree). Upon reaching their block, Brittany and Derek said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. The pair reunited on New Years Eve 2018 and have been inseparable ever since.
It's hard to say that there was a singular moment (for me) where I knew Derek was the one but I would be lying if I said the thought didn't pop in my mind a few times within the first week we were dating. It was just amazing to me how our thoughts seemed to be on a similar wavelength. We literally could complete each others sentences. I felt so comfortable around Derek. However, I was cautiously optimistic as a woman who had 15 years of dating experience under her belt. I didn't want to fall too hard too fast. So while I had the thoughts within the first week, I think it was by the 2nd month of dating that I was convinced this was the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. He is kind, patient, thoughtful, shares a passion for travel/adventure and more than anything has always supported and encouraged me to go after my goals. He makes me want to be a better person; to be the person I want to be. He makes me feel loved every day. I feel and trust that together, we can get through the ups and downs life will bring. I cannot wait to be his wife!
After about a month of dating, Brittany had to begin traveling for her recruiting season. She was gone for most of the week for about 2 months. This can be tough on a new budding relationship, but we talked on the phone almost every day. Through all these conversations I got to know her on a more personal level in a much more organic way.
The conversations felt natural and as if I was talking with someone I had known for years. We bonded over our similar sense of humor, common interests, and goals. I found myself more excited to spend as much time with her as I could when she was home. Then Sunday would come and I would be taking her to the airport all over again.
This time in our relationship uniquely stands out to me as my moment. We were able to really get to know each other without rushing into anything. It also helped us establish a foundation of friendship first. Everything with Brittany has always felt natural as if it were meant to be...