Summer and Brian met at the end of March 2021. On a Friday night, Summer was with ABC57 work colleagues, Tana Kelley and Kyle Smith, and Kyle suggested they meet up with friends from his hometown in Elkhart, 30 minutes away. The trio headed to Beardsley Avenue where, little did Summer know, she would meet her "tall, blonde, handsome man" and future husband, Brian. Summer noted the man with a big smile who seemed to have the heart and respect of everyone he talked to. He rocked the aux cord with songs that even Summer knew, and was attentive, talkative, inclusive... oh, and baby blues! But Brian's heart and kindness told her he was something special.

The night after Summer and Brian met, Brian asked Summer on a date. She said, "yes!" and then had to patiently wait the two weekends it would take for Brian to be free during RV show season... to end up an hour late to their first date! Yes, like a whole hour. Summer is known for running on her own "Summertime" (though she will make her wedding!). Summer, racing to 523, a steak restaurant in downtown Elkhart, was worried that Brian was going to be upset, and poor Brian thought that Summer stood him up! Brian was actually booted from his original table, but eventually the two were together and received a high-top table from where they learned about each other over a 3-hour dinner. Summer's choosy palate and lateness did not deter this man. They both share a love of Moscow mules and bang bang (firecracker) shrimp. As the restaurant was closing, Brian was not ready to say goodbye, and neither was Summer. They moved across the street from the upscale 523 to "Elkhart's finest establishment", the 5 Star Dive Bar. Summer and Brian sat in a booth next to the stage until the wee hours of the morning, talk-yelling in between songs played by the local 80s band, The 1985. Despite Summer working third shift for morning news, and Brian's first shift, 9-5pm at Forest River, 2 years later, they never fail to make time to be together. From dinners, vacations, family events, and weddings to simple trips to the grocery store or to clean out their cars- the two want to spend every moment possible with each other and look forward to continuing their journey, soon as husband and wife, till death do them part.

On Christmas Eve of 2022, the plans were 4 PM Mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church given that cousin, Nate Nilles, was singing in the choir, and then the Heiden Christmas family party to follow. Brian purposely stuck large cardboard boxes in the back of his car so that Summer's siblings, Hunter and Grace, would not be able to ride with them for, after mass, Brian was secretly planning to propose to Summer at the Grotto. Grace of course said, "I can squeeze in!" for the ride to St. Joseph. Brian was rather quiet driving but, when he mentioned "wanting to see the life-size nativity scene at the Grotto," bells went off. No, not church bells on Christmas Eve. Grace now had a hunch that her sister was to be engaged for, just down the road at Notre Dame's outdoor Stations of the Cross, their father, Christopher, proposed to their mother, Lori, on a Christmas Eve. Moving boxes hid Grace’s now wide-eyed backseat expression, and Summer, so focused on seeing Nate sing and where they were to pick up the breadsticks order, was truly without a clue the entire time. The mass concluded, and Summer and Brian went to congratulate Nate and the choir. Grace pulled Hunter away from the two, clued in by Brian's Grotto reference that they should drive home with their parents. Grace tells a separate story of their parents having already left, as they had no idea about the planned proposal either. Brian did ask Chris for his oldest daughter's hand in marriage in October of 2022, ironically during a Notre Dame football game. Chris did not know as to when Brian would propose, though, and neither did his wife, Lori, for, this day it was to happen, Chris and Lori assumed, like Grace, that no boxes (even if the largest moving boxes at Lowes) could keep two Horan children from squeezing in with their sister and her boyfriend. Brian purposely bought these boxes to serve as 'Summer sibling deterrents', pretending that his mother, Susan, was needing them for Christmas Day- the boxes failed, but Brian's unintentional clue to Grace did not. Hunter and Grace, in frostbite cold and blizzard snow, chased their parent's car, which was dashing away into the distance up Hill Street to host the year's Christmas Eve party. As for Summer and Brian, after finding Nate, next on their agenda was supposed to be picking up breadsticks, though Brian detoured to the Grotto at Notre Dame first, suggesting that they start a new tradition of lighting a candle and praying there on Christmas Eve. Summer did not want to shut down such a nice sentiment. It was a negative degree-day with gusting wind, so cold and dangerous to drive far that Brian's aligned photographer had to cancel, though friends quickly assumed this role for him. Chilled, Summer raced to the Grotto, taking in the giant nativity scene on the run. Summer lit their candle, turned around, and Brian was on one knee. It was a "YES!!!!!!!" #IDoWithAllMyHarter Oh, and the breadsticks? Brian had already enlisted his parents, Greg and Susan, to pick up the order for the party.