Grace and I met at my coworkers, Jimmy and Sydney Grant’s, wedding.

Apparently before the wedding Jimmy had already told Grace about me, though I wasn’t aware of any of this. I arrived early to the church in Huntsville and at the very last moment noticed a group of people hurry to find their seat. Grace caught my eye right away, in fact I’m pretty sure we made eye contact a couple times. At the reception I sat across the room from her group. It was so strange, every time I got up it seemed like I was bombarded by people, none of which I had met before. Finally, small talk in the buffet line led to a connection of another Oklahoma State Student that they insisted I needed to meet.

“Coincidentally” Grace was sitting at this same table as the OSU student, and that's where they introduced me to her. I shook her hand like I would to someone I met at work—not my finest moment.

Looking back it made sense, all these people talking to me were trying to introduce me to Grace.

After the reception I redeemed myself when a large group went out and I got an opportunity to talk to her.

The next morning my mom asked me how the wedding was, and I told her if this girl whose number I got responds then the wedding was great. Well, Grace responded and we planned our first date at Gringo’s in Rosenberg. We continued to see each other at least once a week. On our first date in Houston we drove around looking at Christmas lights. We were having fun talking and laughing a lot— that’s when I knew I would be making the drive to Houston often.

After dating a month, I attended a going away party for her friend Jenny in Houston. As we were leaving I made a comment about how all the buildings and lights made it hard to see any stars.

The next week Grace came to El Campo for the first time. After dinner I took her out to the farm where we looked at stars under an oak tree and asked her to be my girlfriend— this is the same tree where I proposed. The rest is history.

Q + A

Ceremony Parking

Reception Parking