In May 2011, Ariel and Dontavious were both hired as Executive Team Leader Interns at Target. Dontavious was entering his Junior year at Morehouse College and Ariel was entering her Senior year at the University of Georgia. The two met for the first time during a internship orientation in Roswell, GA. 

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Ariel and Dontavious developed a friendship that extended beyond their summer internship. After that summer, Ariel returned to UGA and Dontavious returned to Morehouse. They spoke sporadically, exchanging pleasantries, and met occasionally during her seldom visits to Atlanta. A few months after graduation, Ariel moved to Atlanta to pursue a career with SunTrust Bank. Dontavious was one of the first she contacted to share her exciting news.

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Shortly after arriving to Atlanta, Ariel was planning to celebrate her birthday alone. Dontavious surprised her with lunch from a local wing restaurant, Miss Crumpy's Hotwings, and a strawberry cupcake from Publix grocery store. From that moment forward, Dontavious became Ariel's new best friend. 

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After a couple of months, Dontavious finally got the nerve to ask Ariel out on a date. Although Ariel initially struggled with the idea of Dontavious becoming more than a "friend," she agreed to go on a date. Their first official date was at the Georgia Aquarium followed by a long stroll through Centennial Olympic Park. 

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Nearly five years later, Dontavious asked Ariel to be his wife. You would not be reading this today if she did not, obviously, say "yes." 

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