Our journey to June 2026 began a full year before our official announcement. Steven had a private dinner with my parents to ask for my hand. He shared his intentions and showed them the heirloom ring his mother, Staci, had personally passed down to me, a moment of joy and appreciation for family and tradition that we will always treasure.We spent the following year in a private space for grief, navigating the heartbreak of losing both Staci and my Grandma Georgia. During those difficult months, we leaned into each other and held onto a final piece of advice Grandma gave us: Get married first! Everything else will fall into place.True to her word, it did. Last December, during a walk by the water at dusk, Steven asked if I wanted a grand production of an engagement or to finally see my ring right then and there.Once our date was set, we finally shared the news with our families on Christmas Day 2025. We find immense gratitude in knowing that Staci and Grandma Georgia were the very first to be made aware, and we know they’ll be cheering us on from the front row in spirit this June at The Claridge.