Huge shoutout to Mills and Cooper for getting engaged last year! We met at their engagement party November 2023, and the rest is history. I remember walking away from my first conversation with Richard thinking, Everything he’s saying sounds like something my future husband would say. Little did I know! I was hooked—even with that long hair😂

Our first date was on December 2, 2023, and it was already a big day for Richard. He PR’d in a marathon that morning, and later that night, Alabama beat UGA in the SEC Championship. Little did he know, the day was about to get even better! At the time, my job was basically interviewing people all day, so naturally, I approached our date similarly—like an interrogation. Lucky for me, Richard handled my grilling like a pro and actually appreciated my hard questions!! I also can’t leave out that the race that morning was actually in Memphis (where I was living at the time), and Richard drove four hours to Birmingham after running 26.2 miles just to take me out. I have no idea why I didn’t just stay in Memphis that weekend, but I’m so glad he somehow made it happen anyway. I don’t think a smile has left my face since then!

After that, if I wasn’t at work, we were on the phone. When I was in Memphis and he was in Huntsville, I think we spent no joke 30+ hours a week on phone calls. My Memphis IG coworkers can confirm that even when I was in the office, I wasn’t doing much except twirling around in my spinny chair, texting “my husband,” and giggling at my phone from 8 to 5. (And he eventually got a haircut thank the Lord)

He helped me move to Nashville not long after, and we ended up getting snowed in together during the infamous blizzard of 2024. We spent an entire week stuck inside, and it was hands down one of the most pivotal weeks of my life. I knew from the second we met that he was the one (still impressed with my gut instincts for that), but that snow week cemented it for me. He was, and still is, the best person I’ve ever met and the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Game over!!

Thank the Lord we both ended up back in Birmingham with our families and Dutch way sooner than either of us expected. Everything has panned out better than I could have ever dreamed, and we only have God to thank for blessing us like this. It’s beyond my comprehension and seriously overwhelming!!

We’ve spent so much time together in Birmingham and all over the place—there’s no one else I’d rather do everything and go everywhere with. And let me just say, there is also literally no one else I’d take up running for. That one should speak major volumes forever. Seriously though, I’m so grateful for him and for every single moment we spend together, no matter what it is we’re doing!!

Richard has been my greatest blessing since day one, and I’ve told him since then that I know God made him just for me. He loves me, takes care of me, and champions me in ways I didn't even know were possible. In my mind he’s been my husband from the jump, and I’m absolutely ecstatic that I’ll get to be his WIFE officially!! I love him, I love the life we’ve built so far, and I can’t wait for what’s ahead—9/6/25 and beyond!!

Accommodations

Valley Hotel