Like many people nowadays, the internet brought Garrett and I together. I had just moved to KC a few months prior and was wholly focused on figuring out medical school. Though I was open to dating, I wasn’t really “trying” to find my better half, if that makes any sense. When Garrett came across the screen (was it Tinder? Hinge?), I couldn’t help but notice how incredibly funny he was in addition to his breathtaking good looks. One day, in the middle of texting banter, I jokingly invited him to a house party to meet 20 of my closest friends. Since we were all vaccinated, we were just itching to get together to celebrate. When G said “sure, I’d love to!” I knew I was in trouble! We were going to drive together, and I even made a dear friend come over just in case I got too nervous! When he came by, I was immediately lost in his blue eyes, and at the party he struck up conversation with just about everyone. I’d met my match (…. my better, really) at being social, and I’m still impressed that he took on meeting 20 future physicians and lived to tell the tale! I knew we needed to have an actual date, which he happily agreed to. I was so nervous... I probably spent two days trying to figure out what to wear. In an effort to be impressive, I insisted on picking him up, arriving promptly, well-dressed (hair perfectly quaffed) with a surprise bouquet in hand. I don’t know why I did something so forward, but I guess it goes to show how much I wanted to impress him like he had me…. little did I know that seeing those flowers made him almost turn around and go back inside! As they say, the rest is history. The last few years has taught me so much about the world, myself, and what it means to be a good partner. He’s still hilarious, and I’ve learned that he has the biggest heart of anyone I know. Though we’ve been planning this wedding for a long time, I still can’t believe how fortunate I am to marry my best friend. - D

It was April 2021, I walked out of my apartment giddy for a date with a real cutie. It was technically our second date as I boldly attended a party with his med student friends the week before. I walked up as he was sitting back on the hood of his red Honda Fit, with a bouquet of flowers… Flowers… I thought to myself, oh god he’s insane. What is this 1950 and we’re straight?!?! Who does that? That’s Daniel for you. We then went to Tom’s Town, and chatted for something like 3 hours… the first of many. Things didn’t start immediately, but our text response times quickly went from 12 hour to less than 12 seconds. It was obvious we were falling, I know I was. I had just leased an apartment in Kansas City and it felt like a fresh start after years from my hometown, and although I wasn't planning to be back forever, I was happy for my new life in Kansas City. And then a cute midwestern boy came along and I wasn't going to say no... at the time my life lacked a lot of "drama" it was fitting I found a former Opera Singer to fill that void. Fast forward several spontaneous trips later, meeting each others families and friends, several seasons going to the Opera, friends and families weddings and babies... life with Daniel has been limitless. Has it always been easy? No, there has been a lot of change and growth in the last 4 year. In that time we became homeowners, which is a whole thing (IYKYK), while sustaining my own career, and supporting someone going through the hardest schooling you could imagine. But despite it all, being fun remains a top priority. And the people at our wedding represent the joy we have in our lives. And about those flowers… I kept them. Yes they are dried out but the petals sit in a glass vase in our closet, I look at them every day. Who’s the crazy one now? Crazy in love.