Kylie & Chris – Stroudsmoor Country Inn – Wedding Highlight Film – Terraview

Months passed by, and Chris and Kylie casually bumped into each other at Hillsong Church where Kylie attended and Chris occasionally visited, once in a great while. Kylie always made a point to say hello and attempt to engage in a brief chat anytime she saw him, most of the time discussing things like work and school and maybe even the weather. Although she didn’t acknowledge it, there was always a curiosity about Christopher and an eagerness to know him. He never suspected any interest, and she never wanted to admit the potential to herself either. In September, we shared our first plate of sweet potato fries at a friend’s birthday gathering. Chris thought this was a little awkward but didn’t turn down the opportunity to eat… that hasn’t changed. Kylie successfully talked his ear off the entire evening… that also hasn’t changed. Two months later, Kylie hadn’t seen Chris in a while, and felt the desire to reach out and check in. One text gradually (VERY gradually) evolved into another, and by January we’d found ourselves talking quite regularly. Then the phone calls began, and in February, we FINALLY had our very first date! 🙂 The culminating moment arrived at the end of the date when Kylie asked, “When will I see you again?” and Chris replied with a smile, “Hmm…. April?” At this point Kylie definitively concluded he was by no means interested. There was no way.

Just when Kylie thought all hope was lost, God proved that He had bigger plans still. April finally came around, and low and behold, Chris did return to NYC for date number 2 (*It should be noted that Chris couldn’t come back until April due to work. It was actually not his idea). During Sip and Paint, Kylie realized that Chris is actually a Picasso, and Chris insists Kylie is too (but that remains debatable). Later, we enjoyed a beautiful, serene boat ride at Central Park. At one point, Chris paused the rowing and took Kylie’s hands. She thought, “Oh my goodness. Could it be? He DOES like me after all! This is the moment.” However, the wind blew, and he grabbed the oars again. We paddled onward, and alas, the moment passed. When we got off the boat, with hands nearly frozen from the cold, we suddenly found ourselves “warming” each other’s hands up and choosing not to let go. We took our first walk, hand in hand. A handful of exciting, joy-filled dates later, May arrived. Chris was thrilled to take Kylie to dinner and see “one of the greatest movies ever made (Chris’ words),” Avengers Infinity War. After the movie when he drove Kylie back to her hotel, he proceeded to get out of the car which was slightly different than our previous “goodbyes.” Kylie thought, “Hmm… what’s he doing?” as Chris came around the car and opened her door to extend a hand. Soon we were standing hand in hand, and the awkward silence set in. After some giggles broke the silence, Chris uttered the most blessed words Kylie could have hoped for and proved her wrong, revealing that yes, indeed, he was definitely interested. An emphatic “Yes!” later, we were “official!”

Dating was such an adventure, through and through. From hiking at Gillette Castle, screaming on coasters at Six Flags, swimming and riding at Coney Island, discovering our inner spies at Spyscape, biking and hammocking at Governer’s Island, getting classy for jazz nights in NYC, hiking the Grand Canyon of PA, venturing through the world’s largest indoor ropes course in CT, star-gazing (in the rain) in Cherry Springs, PA, teaching Chris how to ski, traveling to London, and enjoying lazy Netflix days in jammies, our butterflies continued to flutter as our love deepened and blossomed. At last, on August 10, 2019, at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, Christopher posed an ever more awe-striking question, surely the most honorable words Kylie had heard to date, “Kylie Rae Sickler, will you marry me?” An even greater “YES!” later, here we are today, eager and blessed beyond measure to prepare to utter the precious words “I do, forever.”