Etienne introduced himself to me on  a Tuesday evening, October 2, 2012.

He literally walked over to me, held his hand out and said, "Hi, my name is Etienne." I had only been in Washington D.C. for a little over 2 months and it seemed as if everyone I met was either a lawyer or an aspiring attorney. So, I was not impressed that he was, like many others in D.C., an attorney. However, when he told me that he was an engineer who went to law school because he was interested in environmental issues and wanted to impact the community, I took interest. I shared that I had recently moved to D.C. to attend graduate school to earn a degree in public health.

From that point our conversation was wonderful. When Etienne's ride home told him that they were ready to leave, he said that it had been nice to meet me and that he would see me again soon. As he began to walk away, I grabbed his arm and asked him how he planned to see me soon without my phone number. 

Well, after we exchanged numbers, Etienne invited me out that very weekend. We had a great time together and talked for hours. A few days later, he had to go to a training session for work, but we talked all week even though he was in a different time zone. He asked if he could see me again when he returned to D.C., so I invited him over for a southern cooked meal. Etienne and I were new to D.C. and soon realized that we both wanted to find a church home. So, to be honest, our first real date was at church. Afterwards, we walked together down Rhode Island Avenue and ate lunch at a West Indian restaurant nearby.

After that date, Etienne wanted to see me every weekend. I expressed that I wasn't interested in a relationship and that I had moved to D.C. for graduate school. I told Etienne that I needed to focus on my studies and my relationship with God, but he was persistent. We continued to see each other casually and even played flag football together with mutual friends.

During Thanksgiving, I realized that my feelings for Etienne were growing. His feelings for me were growing too. So, I told him that I was open to a relationship. However, as New Years 2013 approached, I began to rededicate myself to God and had decided to rid myself of anything that compromised my commitment and walk with Him. 

Etienne and I attended bible study together on Wednesday, January 16th, and afterwards I planned to let him know that if he was interested in a serious relationship, he would have to look elsewhere. My mind was made up. BUT GOD had other plans.

We both mentioned that we had something to share, so I let him go first. He then got down on his knees and proposed that I be his girlfriend and that we both renew our commitment to God and do things the right (God) way. He said he had heard God saying that if he wanted me, this is what he needed to do in order to have me.

I said yes . . . and after a beautiful journey, on April 3, 2016, I will become his wife.

I was on top of the world.

I had just completed three challenging years of law school and had landed a job at a prestigious firm in Washington, D.C. I had also successfully endured a grueling two days of the New York Bar Exam, the culmination of months of study that would soon grant me the title - esquire. But perhaps most exciting, I had just returned from a relaxing vacation in Europe.

You couldn't tell me nothing. In my world, I was the man.

And then I found Ebony. 

Interestingly, I wasn't even looking for her, so maybe she was the one who found me. The better answer is that we both found us, or rather a glimpse of who we could become together in the eyes of a person simply seeking a friend in a new place.

"Yo, who's that?" I yelled at Chuck, my classmate from law school who had already been working in D.C. for a year. I pointed behind the semi-crowded dance floor toward a small group of women across the room.

"Oh that's my home girl Ebony from USC." Chuck yelled back over the loud music with a wide smile. "You should definitely go meet her. But be careful, she's a southern girl. Ya might get hooked, I'm just saying . . ."

I actually had no clue what Chuck was saying. Southern? Hooked? For one, I had never ventured down south longer than a weekend vacation and, secondly, I grew up in New York City - I couldn't get hooked that easy. But I couldn't deny that this woman named Ebony stood out from all of the other women in the room. She had a warm glow that radiated from her soft smile and oozed from her swaying arms and turning shoulders and bouncing curls. Her bronze skin glistened under the bright lights above and the way she styled her hair and flaunted her unique style screamed confidence.

So, I did what all confident and suave men do. I walked over to Ebony's side of the room and . . . hid nearby until an opportunity presented itself for me to nonchalantly say, "Hi, my name is Etienne." No fancy pick up lines because we all know that stuff never works.

"Hi, I'm Ebony . . . oh my goodness, your eyes . . ."

That was when I knew I had her. I had worn my clear contacts instead of my thick glasses that night, complete with a baby blue v-neck sweater. Real smooth. Urban, but gentleman was the goal. Ebony was obviously attracted to my style. We started talking about our careers (unavoidable in D.C.) and our various interests. Art? Me too!  . . . The outdoors? Oh, nice! . . . Poetry? Oh, yes . . . I discovered that Ebony was not only incredibly beautiful, but was also a Christian, super smart, sassy, funny and genuinely an interesting person who claimed to be from this place called the Sea Islands where people refer to themselves as Gullah. Who knew . . .

The truth is, by the end of the conversation, Ebony had me.

So, driven by my "smooth guy playbook" of not wanting to appear desperate or smitten too soon, I decided to NOT ask for her number, which I knew would absolutely surprise her. Basically, because we both knew my friend Chuck, I was certain (well, hopeful . . .) that I would be able to find her again. So, I said goodbye and thanked Ebony for a great conversation while mentioning that I hoped to see her again soon. And then I turned and walked away. As planned (actually, much better than planned), Ebony stopped me and asked me to take her number down.

The attempt to be smooth and play the dating game (waiting to call, not appearing to be too interested, etc.) fell apart quickly because I really enjoyed talking to Ebony and learning more and more about her. I saw her as someone who could become a great friend. She was so unique and engaging, much different than any woman I had ever met before. She had strong convictions and was invested in her spiritual growth, but was also humble. If I could describe it in words, I would say that she is like a firecracker wrapped in a velvet blanket. Unpredictable and spunky, yet genuinely caring and loving.

Well, that's how we met.

Smooth, handsome and ambitious urban gentleman meets beautiful, smart and artsy southern girl. I'm sticking to it, don't try to come for me. From there our relationship evolved. Ebony truly became my best friend and inspired me to strive to become a much better man than the one I thought I was when I first landed in Washington, D.C.

I am so thankful to have Ebony in my life. Together, we have grown spiritually, personally and professionally. We have embarked on fun adventures during our time together, and I look forward to many more. I love that she accepts me for who I am, flaws and all, yet encourages me daily to be the greatest version of myself that God has called me to be. I am so grateful that God saw fit to bring us together, so honored that she said yes to becoming my wife, and so humbled that I will have the awesome opportunity to work diligently everyday to be the best husband that I can be.

When I moved to Washington D.C. those few years ago, I was on top of the world.

But with Ebony by my side . . . it often feels like I am in heaven.

She said, "Yes," at Veritas Vineyard & Winery in Afton, VA.

Engagement photography  provided by Quinnton J. Harris.