our love story

HOW WE MET

WE BOTH ATTENDED BLOOMSBURG UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA. DREW WAS A YEAR AHEAD OF REBEKAH AND HIS PLANS FOR OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING FELL APART BEFORE HIS SOPHOMORE YEAR, SO HE ENDED UP LIVING IN THE DORMS AGAIN (BEST THING TO EVER HAPPEN). AS A FRESHMAN, REBEKAH MOVED INTO HER DORM AND IT HAPPENED TO BE A CO-ED FLOOR. DREW WAS IN THE ROOM NEXT TO REBEKAH AND THEY QUICKLY STARTED A FRIENDSHIP THAT THEY CARRIED THROUGHOUT THE NEXT THREE YEARS.

THE SUMMER OF 2014, DREW GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE AND REBEKAH WAS INTERNING WITH AN EVENT VENUE IN ATLANTIC CITY, NJ FOR THE SUMMER. A GROUP OF THEIR FRIENDS DECIDED TO GET TOGETHER AND HAVE A WEEKEND IN ATLANTIC CITY. THAT NIGHT THEY HAD A TON OF FUN WITH THEIR FRIENDS AND EACH OTHER AND THEY BOTH REALIZED THERE WAS DEFINITELY SOMETHING MORE BETWEEN THEM THAN JUST FRIENDSHIP.

IN EARLY 2015, DREW MOVED TO CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA FOR A JOB OPPORTUNITY AND AFTER GRADUATING, REBEKAH TOOK THE LEAP AND JOINED HIM! THE TWO LOVED BEING IN A NEW CITY TOGETHER WITH SO MANY BREWERIES, RESTAURANTS AND ACTIVITIES TO EXPLORE, BUT SOMETHING WAS STILL MISSING IN THEIR LIVES. IN DECEMBER OF 2017, THEIR FAMILY GREW BY FOUR LITTLE PAWS WHEN THEY BROUGHT HOME THEIR SWEET LITTLE LAB-MIX PUPPY, NOELLE. SHE TRULY IS THE CENTER OF THEIR WORLD AND SHE ABSOLUTELY KNOWS IT. IN 2019, THE PAIR RELOCATED TO WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA AND THEN LATER PURCHASED THEIR FIRST HOME IN 2020.

HOW HE ASKED

DREW WAS SUPPOSED TO WORK THE ENTIRE WEEKEND OF MARCH 13TH, BUT DUE TO COVID-19, THOSE SPORTING EVENTS WERE CANCELED. DREW HAD THE RING FOR ONLY A FEW DAYS NOW, BUT KNEW HE NEEDED TO PUT SOME PLANS IN MOTION KNOWING HE'D HAVE LIMITED TIME TO USE PUBLIC AREAS FOR THE PROPOSAL.

HE PLANNED A DAY TRIP TO CHILDRESS VINEYARD ON SUNDAY, MARCH 15TH WITH TWO OTHER COUPLES THEY'RE CLOSE FRIENDS WITH. LEADING UP TO THAT DAY, HE WAS TEXTING HIS TWO GUY FRIENDS TO GIVE THEM AN IDEA OF THE PLAN TO HELP CAPTURE PHOTOS AND VIDEO OF THE PROPOSAL.

THE DAY AT THE VINEYARD WAS PERFECT AND WENT EXACTLY HOW HE HAD PLANNED — SHE HAD NO CLUE. THEY DID A WINE TASTING, TOOK A TOUR OF THE WINERY AND THEN ENJOYED THE DAY OUTSIDE ON THE VINEYARD GROUNDS WITH A FEW SAMPLES. BEFORE HEADING HOME, ONE OF THE COUPLES SUGGESTED PHOTOS BY THE LAKE TO COMMEMORATE THEIR OUTING. DREW AND REBEKAH WENT LAST.

AS REBEKAH STARTED TO WALK AWAY AFTER TAKING THE PHOTO, DREW GRABBED HER HAND AND ASKED HER IF HE COULD SAY SOMETHING TO WHICH SHE SAID “NO!” BECAUSE SHE TOTALLY KNEW HE WAS UP TO SOMETHING. HE TOLD HER HOW MUCH HE LOVES HER AND THAT SHE’S THE ONE HE WANTS TO SPEND THE REST OF HIS LIFE WITH. HE GOT DOWN ON ONE KNEE, PRESENTED THE RING, AND ASKED HER TO MARRY HIM. SHE SAID YES!