She slipped on her shoes and grabbed her bag, heading out the door for yet another blind date. Over dinner, they talked about their backgrounds, their families, their lives up to that point. While it wasn’t awkward like some of the blind dates she had been on in the past, it also was fairly casual with basic get-to-know-you questions. At the end of the night, they decided to go out again, you know, now that they had met.

It was on their second date that love started to ebb into their relationship. Slowly, but surely, as they spent more and more time together, they realized that blind date they had shared was the start of something much more magical that they could have never predicted.

As was already planned, he flew to New Zealand for a year. To backpack and see the country. Six months into it, she decided to join him. It became one of the defining points in their relationship, trekking around New Zealand in a van, making friends with other backpackers their age, and being companions through thick and thin, shower or no shower, hot meal or cold cereal.

Back in the States, He put off the proposal several times because had wanted everything to be perfect for her and each time he thought he had it planned, plans failed him. Finally, he determined, the perfect night had come. He lathered on his shaving cream and slid the razor across his chin. A stain of blood grew until it dripped…and dripped and dripped. He slapped on a piece of tissue and they headed to Walgreens for some nick stopper. He was going to propose on the outdoor stage at a nearby park, but…well, let me have them tell you: “Drew ended up taking Andrea on the stage and saying stupid things like, ‘Let’s make believe we’re in a rock n’ roll band! What instrument do you want to play?’ The plan failed and Drew found himself walking away from the stage looking back thinking to himself, ‘How can I get us back there!?!’

“Drew needed something to break the ice, buy some time, and provide a perfect transition from conversation to proposal. That thing ended up being a delicious chocolatey nougat-filled treat, Charleston Chew! It was on sale for $0.99 at Walgreens and Andrea couldn’t resist buying it. While walking home, Drew’s spontaneous idea sparked into being. By that time, the sun was setting and it was a beautiful evening. “Let’s take the Charleston Chew over to the park and eat it in the grass,” he said to Andrea.

“So that’s what they did, and while sitting in the grass, sunset on the horizon, Drew took Andrea’s hand, said some sweet things, and presented the ring.” 

Here’s the thing I love most about Andrea and Drew: they laugh from the bottom of their souls together.

Ahhh, her eyes!

Andrew and Drew, I cannot tell you how excited I am for next September! Your happiness is infectious and I know that your wedding day is going to be brimming with laughter.