– 120 kids across the four classes – and once spurned ex’s, friends’ ex’s, and cousins were removed, the dating pool grew smaller still. Naturally, as clean and cute humans in those narrow hallways, they caught each other’s eye. 

Tucker, a senior, had one foot out the door to college and told himself and others he didn’t want a girlfriend. No way. Bella, a freshman, had yet to meet a challenge she didn’t like (still true 14 years later). Bella skillfully used her friendship with Tucker’s sister, Hayden (sorry, Hayden) to join an after school work out group Tucker and Hayden we are part of. Bella needed Tucker’s number “to coordinate carpool.” Texts about logistics slowly grew and time at the gym involved more chatting and, eventually, flirting than working out. Bella won. After a few months of hand-holding on the between classes, swapping burned cd’s, and slipping notes in each other’s lockers, Tucker said something well thought out and romantic like, “Wanna be boyfriend-girlfriend?” after watching Ferris Bueler’s Day Off. With that, on March 4th, 2011, it officially began. 

 It’s been a journey since. Admittedly, we held low expectations for our relationship as Tucker left for college. Four years of long distance was unimaginable at the time and examples of failed high school relationships were countless. But we grew closer through our nightly phone calls and monthly visits and slowly realized that even as our worlds and friends and goals quickly expanded we didn’t like or love anyone else as much as each other. 

Finally, in 2016, the long-distance era ended for good. Tucker moved to Chapel Hill, NC to be with Bella as she finished her final years of college at UNC. We built a life together in Chapel Hill and Durham over the next eight years. We adopted our first pets, bought and renovated a home, worked jobs we loved, created a floral company, and settled into a community of the best friends and neighbors we could have hoped for. 

Despite our love for NC, we decided to uproot and move to Toronto, Canada in 2024. The opportunity for graduate school for Tucker, work as a florist for Bella, and a new life adventure proved too exciting to turn down. Marriage had long been in our plans, so when it became clear 2024 was going to be a big year of change for us, we asked “why not add to it?” Bella designed our rings with a dear friend and, in late April, we officially popped the question. To add even more dramatic flair, we briefly kept the engagement secret, revealing the news to our friends and family at what we billed as our “going away party” just before we moved. While the farewell was bittersweet, we couldn’t imagine a better way to celebrate the people and place that had such a profound impact on our relationship. 

With a year of school and work and exploring Canada under our belts, we’re excited to head back to where it all began this fall and get hitched with all of yall. Thanks for all the love and support over the many years. Counting down till we see you in October!