Connect How did your love story begin?

We worked for the same restaurant group for two years. I was in Operations, he was in IT, yet somehow we never crossed paths until opening a restaurant in Charlotte. He texted asking me to grab a beer… then avoided me all week! I finally had a friend invite him out. One brewery, endless laughs, and I found my best friend. Nine years later, we’re still choosing each other every single day.

What is your favorite memory you've shared as a couple?

Our favorite memory? Buying an 18 foot pool on a Memorial Day whim. We spent hours setting it up with zero planning, only to realize as it filled that the yard was so sloped it was about to collapse! The next day we drained it, cleaned it, dried it with a leaf blower, and returned it while our neighbors and my mom laughed from lawn chairs. We still laugh about it today. It taught us we’re a great team… but terrible impulse shoppers!

What would you do with $20,000?

If we won, we’d finally take the honeymoon we never had. Nine years ago we dreamed of celebrating in Ireland, but just after our wedding my mom was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer, and we had a newborn. She moved in with us, and our honeymoon savings became family savings. We wouldn’t change that decision for anything. Now, nine years later, we’d finally take the trip we’ve been dreaming about together.