From girl next door to fiancée

Caroline Toney was the girl next door for her husband, Matt.

Matt's roommate knew Caroline from high school, and not long after she graduated, he began messaging her on Facebook. And, because he lived next door, she started to look for him any chance she got.

"If I knew he was outside, I'd go out and walk the dog," she said. "Our first conversation in person was about his garden. I asked him what he was growing."

From there, romance blossomed, and Caroline said she had to earn the approval of his friends and family.

"He introduced me as his 'neighbor friend' to his family," she said.

After dating more than a year, the couple knew they wanted to marry. Caroline, her mom and her future mother-in-law started going to bridal shows.

"In order to register for the event, you had to have a wedding date, so I gave them a fake date of May 2, 2015."

Little did she know, that date would be her real date before too long.

"Matt asked my parents if he could marry me and planned a trip to Charleston with another couple," she said. "In my mind, it was just a trip to celebrate my birthday. I love having pictures taken, and he had planned for us to have pictures made."

Her mom took her shopping, helping her to pick out a new dress for the occasion. Still, Caroline said, she didn't have a clue what was truly happening.

"The day we were going to have pictures made he made sure my hair and nails were done, and he'd bought a shirt to match my dress," she said.

As their pictures were taken, he dropped to one knee and asked her to marry him.

Now, as the couple nears their one year wedding anniversary, Caroline said her advice to other couples planning to marry is to look beyond just that day.

"Your wedding day only lasts for a bit, and your marriage is what's important," she said. "Learn to choose your battles."