“We actually met on Tinder. I had just accepted a principal's position in Marco Island, Florida, and had been flown down to work at the school for a week in July. I happened to change my Tinder location to Naples since I was moving there in August anyway. I have always lived in North Carolina. All my family and friends are there so moving to Florida was a big step for me.

“The day after I flew back to North Carolina, I woke up to find that Adrian had swiped right on me. He had only two pictures and nothing in his profile so I thought he was fake, but I swiped right anyway just to see. Adrian had just set up his Tinder account the day before and really didn't know how to operate it, plus he said he didn't want to take the time to fill out all the information. Regardless, when he woke up the next morning, he had hundreds of guys who had swiped right, but I was the first one that stood out to him because I had a picture of me with my dogs and he loves dogs. Plus, he thought I was hot!”

Adrian messaged David to tell him that he was going to delete the app but wanted David to have his phone number just in case he wanted to text him. “I texted him and asked if he would FaceTime with me that evening because I wanted to make sure I wasn't being cat-fished.” Adrian was a little nervous but said OK. “We FaceTimed that evening, and from the moment we saw each other, it just clicked. The first question he asked me on FaceTime was if I drove a truck due to my country-boy accent, to which I answered, ‘yes I do.’” And, so began the couple’s long-distance relationship, texting and FaceTiming every day until Adrian decided to fly to North Carolina to help David move and… meet in-person for the first time!

“I guess you can consider our first date a little bit unusual. The 2-day long trip down to Florida gave us plenty of time to talk and get to know each other more.” David and Adrian even faced the challenge of driving through a hurricane on their journey!

David points out: “I knew from the moment I saw him at the airport that I loved him. After all, we had been talking for a while, but when I saw him walking toward me in the parking lot, I knew he was the one. When we got back to my house from the airport we were laying on the couch and he looked at me and said, "I think I love you." To which I said, "You think?" Then he said, "No, I know I love you." To which I replied, "Good because I love you, too.”

Adrian and David’s relationship moved at a pace. Only one-month in and David was already planning how to propose. September 6th is David’s birthday so Adrian took him to the Florida Keys to celebrate, “Little did he know, I had this whole engagement planned out. I had the manager of the resort where we were staying in on it. I had hired a photographer and of course had his ring. Our first day at the resort wasn't very pleasant. The AC was out in most of the rooms, we didn't get our room cleaned and Adrian wasn't happy at all. He hates being hot.” Adrian called management to inform them they were moving to a different resort… putting the engagement plans—in jeopardy. “After leaving that resort I asked Adrian if we could go back to that restaurant where I made reservations. He said, ‘Why do you want to go back there? They hate me plus this new place is all-inclusive.’ I told him that I had made special arrangements to get us in this restaurant because it was so hard to get in there.” Adrian agreed to go back to the resort and restaurant because it was David’s birthday, after all.

“So while we were eating, I was messaging the photographer to make sure she was in place. I had to go downstairs to make sure no one was in the Gazebo where I was proposing.” Of course, David found a young family there; including a mother was breastfeeding! “I told them that I was about to propose and they they kindly move… and actually stayed to watch!” David came back to the table and told Adrian he was ready to go. “I walked over to the gazebo and he followed. I grabbed and faced him at which point he saw the photographer and said, ‘Babe, let's get out of the way, she's trying to take pictures of this place.’" I told him, ‘No babe, she's here for us.’ Then I told him that this may be my birthday weekend and he's the best gift I have ever gotten, then I got down on my knee and proposed. He said yes!”

Adrian and David took to planning just as they fast dating! They worked with a planner from the start. “Mary, did an incredible job organizing everything from photographers to decorations, and made the process seamless.” And, after looking at several venues, they ultimately decided on Naples Beach Resort and Golf Club for their dream wedding location.

The wedding day was set for March 27th, 2021, at the perfect time to watch the sunset. “I tear up thinking about it. Adrian and I decided not to see each other once the rehearsal dinner was over until we walked down the aisle on our wedding day. So he stayed at the resort and I went back to our house.”

As the grooms readied themselves for the ceremony, guests found their way to their seats in the sand. “It couldn’t have been more perfect. One of my best friends, Krissie, officiated it. She made it so personal to us. We both wrote our vows to one another. They were both funny and big tear-jerkers. We have both had long journeys to get to our wedding day so with me being 45, coming from a very conservative family, and growing up in church, I only had two people from my family come, my niece and her fiancé. To see all those people who love and accept us for who we are come support us on our big day meant the world to us.” When David and Adrian were pronounced as husbands, they sealed it with a kiss.

The wedding reception at Naples Beach Resort and Golf Club overlooked the ocean. David and Adrian had a ton of fun celebrating and dancing with their friends and loved ones. “The day of was full of emotions for everyone. I could not believe the day was finally here! The day I have been waiting for my entire life. I would get all emotional with my friends who were at the wedding. It was the happiest day of our lives.”

When asked about what advice they would give others planning their wedding day, David responded with this tip: “I would say what our DJ told us, to stop for a minute and look around and take it all in, see the people who are there, look at their faces, and remember that moment.”

There’s no honeymoon on the agenda yet, but David and Adrian are deeply enjoying newlywed life at their home in Florida.

Venue — Naples Beach Resort and Golf Club
Photography — Courtney Garbow
Videography — Nick Ummarino
Wedding Planner — Mary Bowlsby
Officiant — Krissie Barr
Catering — Naples Beach Resort and Golf Club
Floral Design — Jan Conzelmann
DJ — DJ MadMel
Makeup Artist — Naihomi Ramos
Hair Stylist — Alea Pleasant