CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Drew Swope and Archie Fortner got engaged at Common Market, in the Plaza-Midwood neighborhood of Charlotte, on Friday, Dec. 22, seven years since they first met at that very spot.
“Seven years ago I was coming in from a snowball fight for a warming drink at CM [Common Market] and saw Archie sitting with a friend,” Swope told qnotes. “It seemed fated. I fell in love at first sight.”
Fortner is deaf, and Swope is not, but they didn’t let that get in the way of having an intense conversation.
“We sat for hours writing notes,” Swope recalled. “We started dating and I learned basic Sign Language very fast. So I wanted to propose to Archie where we met. I told him I would ‘beg, borrow, steal’ to make him happy. So I begged, borrowed, and stole ten rings from friends. They arrived from all over America. A friend gave Archie a motorcycle ride to the CM and the rest is history.”
“Archie will set a wedding date when he’s good and ready,” he added. “I love him very much; he’s made me a very happy man.”
Watch the moment play out in the video below.