Despite all odds, Bailey Nottingham and McKenzie Derfus found themselves at a mutual friend's 16th birthday party in July 2014. You may be thinking, "What are the insurmountable odds keeping a 16 and 17-year-old from being at a party mid-summer?"

Well, you see, McKenzie had just recently obtained her driver's license. To get to said birthday party, it would require her to drive from the depths of Marana to the far east side of Tucson. This would be her first trip by herself of over 10 minutes AND on the interstate…

Despite white-knuckling the steering wheel, driving 20 miles under the speed limit, a tear or two, and an anxiety attack later, she arrived in one piece around 45 minutes later.

On the other hand, Bailey had just gotten his wisdom teeth out. And against all medical advice, Bailey decided to rise from the dead, catch a ride with someone he didn't know particularly well, and attend said birthday party with 4 fewer teeth than the day before.

Besides basic pleasantries, the only real interaction between the two that night was when Bailey (not in his right mind) stopped abruptly mid-stride and McKenzie slammed into the back of him. He managed to chuckle out a "Sorry" and proceeded to who knows where (straight to McKenzie's heart, I guess!).

Fortunately, the two hung out again shortly after that. This time, there were less bumps between the two (literally and figuratively!).

A few short weeks later, the two made it official. After noting that one of McKenzie's favorite foods was Chinese, Bailey cleverly swapped the standard fortune paper in a fortune cookie with a custom one.

There is lighthearted fun when cracking open a fortune cookie. We accusatorially question its reliability and accuracy - "How can this dessert possibly predict what's in store for my future?" Often, we dismiss the inside contents, knowing this not-so-delectable dessert holds little to no weight in accurately depicting love, friendship, or overall good fortune. After all, it is a random piece of paper wrapped up in a vanilla cookie. Regardless, we then share the predicted future scribed in tiny font with those around us. Ironically, we keep cracking them open, hoping one will stick.

That particular evening, Bailey strategically handed McKenzie the not-so-random fortune cookie, and they each opened their respective ones. McKenzie's did, in fact, differ from other fortune cookies. Rather than finding a vague and questionable prediction, she found something inside that was quite specific to her and her immediate future. It read, "Will you be my girlfriend?". Although evident this had immediate implications, no one could've predicted the magnitude of that one fortune cookie with an inch of paper stuffed inside would have, as it has enriched and altered every aspect of life that Bailey and McKenzie once knew.

It was the catalyst for a lifetime of happiness, good fortune, sharing, friendship, and love for the couple. One heck of a fortune cookie!

It is safe to say good things come in small packages…

P.S. Never skip the fortune cookie… or that party…

M&B

Wedding Day

Reception