We were both dating other people in high school when we met. After getting our hearts broken, we became best friends. When Mitchell first asked Mercedes to be his girlfriend (standing in the rain with roses!) she said no. We went our separate ways for that year, but nothing could keep us apart. The following summer, he asked again. This time, she said yes.

Mitchell spent three months away for medical rotations, and Mercedes dealt with the distance the only way that made sense... by adopting a puppy. Neither of us was ready. But Ted didn't care. He took over our couch, our schedules, and our hearts. Now we spend our days walking him and teaching him tricks like "fancy feet". Ted is the talk of the neighborhood and literally stops traffic because he's so cute. He taught us that the best decisions are sometimes the ones you make before you're ready.

Four years of long distance. A global pandemic. Moving across the country. Three attempts at matching into residency before finally getting that yes. We have fought hard for this relationship at every stage, and we have been lucky enough to have people cheering us on through all of it. This money would let us bring every single one of them together to celebrate with us. After everything we've been through, we don't just want a wedding. We want a party that feels as big as the journey!