Ashley and Austin

How and where did you first meet?

We were both 18 and it was our freshmen year at Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, FL. We met through my roommate, Lindsay (she is the one in the black dress with the big earrings in all our wedding photos!)

At what point did you realize you were in love?

I remember telling Austin I loved him in a platonic way first. He was going through a bad break up with another girl and I was comforting him. I used to tell him I loved him at the end of every phone call. He was like a brother to me. I’m honestly not sure when I realized I was in love with him. It just shifted one day. The first time we said I love you to each other in a romantic way, we were out with friends in Florida and he asked me if I wanted to leave because he wanted to take me somewhere. We went for a midnight walk on the beach and he waited until the tide came up and told me there that he wanted to spend his life with me, and that he loved me. He knows how much I love water, so he waited until the water was ankle deep and we were under the stars. It was perfect because he showed me that he knows me better than anyone.

What life goals and dreams do you share?

Funny enough we made a marriage pact when we were 19 because we both wanted a family and children so badly that if we were still alone at 30, we said would just marry each other! We definitely are excited to have kids and buy a home. We both love to travel and want to continue to do so our whole lives.

What have you learned from each other?

We are so opposite in so many ways that it’s really easy for us to learn from each other! I think I have learned how to be more laid back and live more in the moment. He’s so optimistic and also always sees the best in people, which has rubbed off on me. Austin has inevitably become a more organized person and while he still procrastinates, he has gotten much more proactive. If you are into the enneagram; I am a type 1 (orderly, organized, fastidious) and he is a type 7 (enthusiastic, spontaneous, constantly seeking exciting experiences, but also sometimes scattered and undisciplined), which explains a lot!

What do you most look forward to in your life together?

Everything.

Why did you choose Nantahala for your wedding?

Because it is perfect! There are truly so few places left in the world like it. It is magic. From the moment we arrived at Nantahala Lake we fell in love all over again. I obviously had a vision, and I loved that Nantahala Weddings & Events gave me the freedom and support to fulfill that vision. I will continue to visit for years!