Due to the influx of COVID cases in Iowa and new restrictions concerning events, including weddings, Max and I have decided to cancel our planned reception on November 20. At this point, we don't have any other solid plans for a future date or if we plan to reschedule at all. Thank you to all those who wanted to celebrate with us and thinking of us during this time!

The question we get most often when we meet new people is how we met. Did we meet in college, high school, at a summer camp, through extra-curricular activities? We actually met in kindergarten! We both went to Riverside at that point in our lives and we played in the same soccer league, although not on the same team. We grew up in school together (except for a short time when Max went to a different elementary school) and became closer friends during middle school, thanks to our school's TAG program.

After dating all through high school, it was pretty expected that someday he would pop the question. I know some people from our high school were betting on how long it would take, sorry to those who expected right after graduation! Max and I had discussed getting married for a while, but he was bound determined to surprise me! He always told me it would be private and just the two of us, but he ended up planning a Christmas gift exchange with all of his friends as a cover. While we weren't matched to give each other gifts he secretly had me and, of course, I opened my gift last. Double wrapped in wrapping paper and completely surrounded in packing tape, he made me work for it! I was completely oblivious and found out after that Max's friends had videotaped the event, did I mention I had just woken up from a nap? I probably should have listened to my mom when she said I should wear makeup and do my hair - I found out later she knew all about it.