Kim and Henri met in early 2013 when Henri started work as a freelancer on Kim’s team at MSLGROUP, a large PR agency with offices in Atlanta. He was referred to the position by his groomsman Joey Appley-Epstein, who worked in MSLGROUP’s New York offices at the time.In fact, without Joey’s referral, this wedding may have never happened – so buy Joey  a drink if you see him in Florida! He enjoys warm shots of vodka.

Kim and Henri started as strictly professional colleagues – Kim actually interviewed Henri before he got the job. It’s a testament to Henri’s interview skills that he not only landed the position with essentially no relevant experience or skills – he also made Kim, his toughest interviewer that day, fall in love with him. [Bridal ed. note: this is not true, but I did like Henri’s tie.] If you ever need interviewing tips, Henri is available for an hourly fee.

After a few months working together, Kim became so impressed with Henri’s good looks, high intelligence, razor-sharp sense of humor and all-around professional competence [Bridal ed. note: I knew I shouldn’t have let Henri write this…], she invited Henri to come out with her and her friends over the weekend. For his part, Henri admired Kim’s professionalism and quick wit, but he figured that she was way out of his league. He was surprised and flattered to be invited out by Kim, although he had no idea she was interested in him.

Luckily, as Kim and Henri began to see each other outside of work, Henri landed a full-time job at a different agency in town, eliminating any messy co-worker dating complications. After only a few months together, Kim found herself at the Hollis family mountain cabin for Memorial Day, spending the weekend with Henri’s parents, brother and future sister-in-law (Best Man Carter Hollis and his wife, Emily – shout out to my new nephew Harby!). Not long after, Henri was visiting the Leslie family for the Fourth of July, spending his first weekend in Sarasota with no clue he’d be getting married there a few years later.

During their relationship, Henri and Kim have been to countless weddings, traveled across the country and overseas, survived three Clemson-Georgia Tech games, cheered for each other during an Orange Bowl Win (go Jackets!) and a national championship loss (good showing, Tigers!). They’ve each changed jobs, moved apartments and supported each other through tough times and major life events. They’ve both changed, too: Henri now regularly updates his personal calendar and plans things more than two days in advance; Kim has developed a taste for Asian food and has some yellow gameday gear hanging in her closet. After more than three years together, both were ready to take the next step in their relationship.

If you know Kim, then you know that she told Henri exactly how she wanted to get engaged – on the beach. And if you know Henri, you know he really wouldn’t want to follow Kim’s plan because surprising her would be much more important. In February of 2016, Henri bought Kim’s engagement ring but had a few months to plan while it was being made. Maid of Honor Michelle LePage was a huge help to Henri throughout the process of buying the ring and planning the proposal, while also managing to question his every decision [Bridal ed. note: damn Canadians]. In the end, Henri was able to share his proposal plans with a group of friends headed to Rosemary Beach on the Florida Gulf Coast. The day he proposed, Henri made the drive from Atlanta to Rosemary in torrential rain – pretty much the only thing that could have completely ruined a beach proposal. Thankfully, there was just a light drizzle when he finally got to the beach, conveniently arriving just as Kim left for a walk with her friends. If you don’t know the story, check out the Facebook album here.

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Thank goodness Kim said yes. She and Henri got engaged on April 22, 2016.

Now, Kim and Henri are getting married in a part of Florida that has been a destination for the Leslie family for decades. Kim’s parents, Ralph and Beth, began visiting the Sarasota/Bradenton area in the 70’s and fell in love with the region. Beth’s Aunt June attended St. George’s Episcopal, where the couple will be married. Over the past several years, Sarasota has become a special escape for Kim and Henri, and they have started their own tradition of visiting each year around Christmas to live the retired life with Ralph and Beth.

Together, Henri and Kim form a team that’s more than their sum as a couple. They balance each other out and lift each other up; they challenge one another but still provide care and kindness; their love is both practical and passionate. Though they are opposites in many ways, Kim (gorgeous blonde) and Henri (gorgeous brunette) have created a relationship based on their strengths and built to last. They can’t wait to get married and celebrate with so many friends and family in the spring of 2017 – see you at the beach!