Covid did not bring much happiness, but it did bring a lot of time at home and boredom. During that boredom, I found Kyle on Hinge, a popular dating app, reaching out to inquire about his listed experience as a Ben & Jerry's tour guide. While quarantining, we had endless virtual conversations for two months, including extended Zoom "dates" and phone calls that discussed must-travel lists to why we think the way that we do, and what's important to us. Many of our family members struggled to understand how two people could talk for so long. After what felt like an eternity, we finally decided to meet in person! The nerves were akin to going on a date in middle school. I had talked to this guy for months, and I was finally going to see if we liked each other as much in person! Our first meal together was actually barbecue: brisket, mac n cheese, and greens. The chemistry, as well as the food, was spectacular. Since then, we've been lucky to meet each other's friends and family, showing each other just how important the other is to the good people in their lives. We've found more love on our adventures together: pushing each other out of comfort zones on hikes, ski trips, metro relocations, and even trips abroad! Over time, our love has grown from a puppy love stemmed from wonder and excitement to a deep partnership seeped in respect and care for one another. I never thought life could be so wonderful before I met Kyle. As we continue to build towards our future together, we're excited to take a moment and celebrate the present with our friends and loved ones at our wedding!

The original plans for Gigi's birthday weekend were a quaint brunch with grad school friends along with a Beyonce/Cowboy Carter themed birthday party at home that night.. but I had more surprises in store! As we walked towards our brunch plans on the famous Chicago Riverwalk, Gigi and I recounted some of the fun moments and experiences of our relationship. While we'd made a lot of new friends throughout Gigi's business school tenure and were excited to celebrate with them that day, she wished she could share her birthday with some of our east coast friends. Throughout those conversations, I guided us away from the brunch restaurant and toward the Riverpoint Park that sits on the intersection of the Chicago River’s three branches. As we stepped towards the designated spot at the park and the ruse began to expire, I took several deep breaths with our hands clasped and asked Gigi, "Are you ready?" I’ll admit I didn’t plan a perfect speech for the moment, but on my knee I spoke from the heart how much I appreciated all the adventures we go on and my excitement for a lifetime of them. I wasn't convinced Gigi was totally surprised by our engagement, but it made my heart shine to see the ring I toiled over on her finger and to bear our hearts to each other. As we embraced and caught our breaths, I got ready to unveil the next surprise of the morning. I made a hand signal behind Gigi’s back to beckon three of Gigi's closest friends from West Chester that had flown in to join the celebration. Gigi was immediately in tears when she saw her closest friends approach and I knew it made her birthday all the more special. They joined us for the true brunch plans and our rapidly rebranded engagement party, and we loved introducing them to the new friends and city over that special weekend. It was a moment Gigi and I will fondly remember as we walk down the aisle and for the remainder of our lives.