It was a lazy evening, and I was lounging on the couch when suddenly, my phone lit up with a notification, that someone liked my profile!

What began with a simple pickup line soon turned into a playful exchange of messages with Katie. The conversation was easy and fun—until she casually mentioned that she didn’t actually live in Charleston. I was disappointed, of course, but I genuinely enjoyed talking to her, so I kept the conversation going, hoping our connection wouldn’t fade once she returned to New Orleans.

Thankfully, it didn’t. Our chats continued after she got back to the Crescent City, and soon we were texting regularly. One day, Katie mentioned she’d be slow to reply because she was driving. I suggested we just talk on the phone—and that one call turned into hours of conversation.

From there, our connection deepened. Phone calls and FaceTimes became more frequent, and I kept encouraging Katie to return to Charleston so I could take her on a proper first date. Instead, she proposed I visit New Orleans—and without hesitation, I booked a flight. That trip sparked a whirlwind of visits between Charleston, Colorado, Florida, Cape Cod, New Orleans, and eventually Pittsburgh, where Katie met my parents.

As much as I loved having a new travel partner, I realized the jet-setting couldn’t last forever. I asked Katie what our next step should be, and after navigating a few logistical challenges, I was able to work remotely. Meanwhile, Katie found the perfect home for us in New Orleans.

I took the leap—and we haven’t looked back since.

All it took was a couple glasses of bourbon on the porch with my dad to inspire me to hop on Hinge and check out the dating pool in Charleston. I wasn’t much for dating apps, and mostly just used it for fun over wine with my girlfriends, but some combination of fate and liquid courage persuaded me to start scrolling that night. When I came across Ben’s carefully curated profile (which he later told me mine was not), I remember thinking how much I’d like to match with him. The next morning I woke up to the notification and a message that said…

“I’m an artist and was going to offer to paint you, but you’re already a work of art”

I laughed and asked him how many times he had used that line, and from there the conversation didn’t stop. After about a month of texts, calls, and FaceTimes, we decided that he should come to New Orleans to finally meet in person and go on our first official date. Fast forward almost 2 years to the day, we sat at the same restaurant and the same table, right after getting engaged! And our story has only just begun 😊