Their story is one of the long run. When they met Freshman year at Auburn University there was an immediate spark.

Ashlyn needed a date to her semi-formal Freshman year at Auburn. Her friend group at the time had made friends with some of Carter’s friends, many of whom were already attending the semi-formal. Ashlyn was shown a picture of the guys she could be set up with and ended up picking Carter without knowing that choice would change everything.

Right away the two hit it off at Ashlyn’s semi-formal and spent the night out with friends, laughing and talking like they had known each other for years. You may think that the rest is history, but again, their story is about the long run.

It took until Senior year for Ashlyn and Carter to come together. In the years leading up to their relationship, a friendship blossomed. They texted constantly about anything and everything - school, family, relationships, etc. It got to the point where they knew everything about each other. They became best friends.

Over time Carter began to develop deeper feelings for Ashlyn while Ashlyn had kept those feelings for Carter through the years. On the night of the Iron Bowl in 2020, Carter walked Ashlyn home and finally gathered the courage to tell her what all of their friends already knew. They were more than friends.

After several months of dating, Ashlyn made the brave decision to move up to Chicago knowing no one other than Carter. They have since built a life together in the city they call home.

While the journey has been beautiful so far, now is just the beginning of the long run for Ashlyn and Carter.