How did you two meet?

Ryan: "Janie and I first met when I interviewed for my current job at First Baptist Montgomery back in May of 2018. I had come to Montgomery from Columbia, South Carolina as an undercover chaperone for a student ministry mission trip. Being a part of this mission trip was part of my interview process. Janie happened to be one of the other chaperones for the mission project as well, so this is how we initially met. I remember meeting Janie for the first time and thinking that if I got the job at First Baptist, she was going to be someone I was going to befriend. I was also thinking that this girl was way out of my league-- if I ever thought about making a move. Thankfully, I eventually had the guts to make that move and so here we are—happily engaged!"

Janie: "I met Ryan at a youth event we were both serving at for our church. He was actually helping out as a potential associate youth pastor and obviously ended up accepting the position-- which I’m so glad he did! I remember meeting him in line to eat dinner and thought he had the cutest smile and personality. I could tell that Ryan was different from any guy I had met before and knew there was something special about him. He definitely caught my eye!"

What are some things you two enjoy doing together?
Ryan: "We like to travel, go to coffee shops and football games, spend time with our families, and do ministry together."

Janie: "We have lots of coffee dates, We also enjoy kayaking at the lake, being spontaneous, traveling, doing ministry together and spending time with family."

How and when did Ryan propose?
Janie: "Ryan proposed to me in an outdoor chapel called Pretty Place in Greenville, South Carolina near where he is from. We were in town 'visiting family”.' Ryan had a nice dinner planned and wanted to go see some Mountain View’s beforehand. We drove up to Pretty Place and as we were overlooking the view, he positioned me in front of a cross at the center of the chapel. He then said a lot of sweet things, then got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! I said 'yes!'"

Ryan: "I proposed to Janie on September 27, 2019 at Pretty Place Chapel in the upstate of South Carolina. I lived in the upstate of South Carolina during my college and seminary years as I attended Anderson University. I had taken Janie to this part of South Carolina before, but as we went to the upstate area for a second time, I wanted to take her somewhere neither of us had been to before. The day of September 27 started out as a day of grabbing a cup of coffee, shopping the streets of downtown Greenville, and devouring some ice-cream from my favorite place, Spill The Beans. Once the clock struck 3:30pm on that Friday though I had to begin the process of taking Janie somewhere that was unbeknownst to her. The next hour of our day was spent driving an hour north up through the mountains in the northwest corner of South Carolina, to which we would arrive at Pretty Place Chapel, an outside chapel overlooking South Carolina. We walked through the chapel down the center aisle, and I took Janie’s hands and brought her in front of the cross that lies at the end and in the center of the chapel. This is where I took one knee and asked the biggest question I will ever ask anyone.