Couple:LaDrica & Andy
Wedding Date: May 24th, 2025
- Where did you meet? We met in 2000 at Red Lobster. We worked there- LaDrica was a hostess and Andy was a cook.
- How did you meet? They worked together and Andy noticed LaDrica first. He would spend time at the hostess counter, making her and the other hostesses laugh with his charm. His friend group and LaDrica’s friend group would hang out after work so eventually, the attraction between the two became undeniable. Soon after hanging out with their friends, they started dating. They dated from 1999 to 2002 when Andy abruptly moved away from Florence with his brothers. This was before social media took off and LaDrica and Andy lost contact.
Life happened and they both created lives of their own. On October 9, over 20 years later, LaDrica found herself single again, and a close friend asked if she ever talked to Andy.
LaDrica admitted that she forgot his last name and couldn’t find him on social media without it. The friend knew his last name and she looked him up and found him! She was reluctant to “slide in his DMs” but she did. She was relieved, excited, and nervous that he remembered her!
Ever since that day- they have talked every single day. Andy brought a healing kind of love that pieced together a close-knit bond between LaDrica and her children-Tyler and Kiaryn, and Andy. Their love story picked up where it left off over 20 years ago.
- What date did he pop the questions? He popped the question on December 25, 2023.
- Where did he pop the questions? He popped the question at LaDrica’s house.
- What do you remember about this day? LaDrica: I was cooking Christmas dinner, had Christmas music blasting, and was in my little world enjoying the day. I went to my bedroom to get something and when I was walking back to the kitchen, Andy grabbed my hand from behind and said, “Come here, I have something for you.” It wasn’t unusual for Andy to want my attention while I” was in the middle of doing something so I told him to hold on- but I could sense the urgency in his voice. I turned around and he dropped to his knee with a black box in his hand. He asked me to marry him. I was shocked and excited. He put the ring on my finger, and we held each other in a long embrace. I don’t remember going to finish cooking dinner.
Andy: I remember the smile on your face. I knew at that moment that I made the right choice in asking you to marry me. I always want to keep that smile on your face. I had a tingling feeling of happiness and peace.
- Tell me about the proposal. We talked about getting married for a while. I (LaDrica) just didn’t know when it was coming. We wanted the proposal to be special for us- as a family. When the kids were opening their presents- Andy got on his knee and asked LaDrica to marry her in front of the kids. The kids were excited and in disbelief. We all hugged as a family.
- What do you love about each other? (LaDrica) I love the peace and the safe- feeling I get from Andy. I know whenever I am having a bad day or even a good day- he’s the first person I want to share that with. He is my safe place. He loves Tyler and Kiaryn- and that’s important to me. Tyler, Kiaryn, and Andy have a relationship without me. They hang out and text each other, and the kids know they can count on him to be there. Whether it’s a school function, or if they have a need- he’s there. (Andy) I love her personality and her style. She has a go-getter attitude that inspires me.
- What do you like to do together? We like to cook together, go fishing, and take trips together. We pretty much like doing everything together.
Teresa Benjamin Photography says:
Thank you for sharing this beautiful story! It captures the journey of reconnecting after years apart, building a strong family bond, and finding a love that brings peace and happiness. It sounds like LaDrica and Andy’s relationship is filled with warmth, mutual respect, and joy. Their proposal story is especially heartwarming, with the family sharing in the moment—it’s clear how much they cherish each other and the relationships they’ve built with Tyler and Kiaryn. The joy they find in everyday moments together, like cooking and fishing, speaks volumes about the strength of their connection.
