we're getting married!

Kaylin and Mat met in kindergarten, at age 5. They were friends throughout elementary and middle school, and though they went to different high schools, they reconnected shortly after starting college. After weeks of texting and calling, Mat took Kaylin out for a magical night of ice skating, good food, and a Christmas light viewing when they were both back in town for winter break. The cold temperature that night made it easy for Mat to stay close to Kaylin for warmth, and he was slick enough to sneak in their first kiss on the ice rink in front of a beautifully sparkling Christmas tree. Her excitement was only matched by her surprise, as they parted from the rink to their evening dining destination. As always, Kaylin opted for a very nutritious salad and Mat filled up on mac and cheese. Their conversation ebbed and flowed as naturally as the tide and they both could tell that their evening was the start of something special. Once they finished their meal and made their way back to Mat's car, he was overtaken by the urge to officially ask Kaylin to be his girlfriend. After a warm drive in his car and many stops to stare at the Christmas lights (and many many kisses) it was already midnight and Kaylin needed to be home for curfew. The moment that he said goodbye, Mat knew that this was the most special person he had ever met, and that he could never let her go. Kaylin was so excited about their date that she immediately called her best friends and told her family about the magic of their night, eager to tell everyone she knew that he could be the one...her prince charming. Before they knew it, they shared Christmas eve and Christmas day, along with every other holiday known to man, together with their families. Even though they were going to school for very different things, in very different states, and very different places, they found a way to prioritize each other every day. They set countdowns to the next date they would see each other-whether it was him coming to see her or vice versa. Their bond solidified exponentially, and before they had even been together for two weeks, they professed their love for one another, divulging their most deeply hidden secrets and dismissing their inhibitions. When their freshman year was cut short due to the pandemic, Mat and Kaylin were nervous about the state of the world and whether it would ever go back to normal. Even with the pressures caused by the pandemic, they found ways to make each other feel loved. Regardless of the distance, or the COVID restrictions, or the homework and tests they both faced, their love for each other only strengthened as time went on. Before they knew it, their last semester of college had arrived and it was time to really solidify their plans for the future. Long before her graduation, Mat had schemed with Kaylin's best friend, Hailen, about the ways to make his proposal to her perfect. They planted false seeds in Kaylin's ear to throw her off, only spoke when she was out of town, and tried their best to keep their plans only between one another. Mat knew that with Hailen's help, the proposal was going to be flawless. Despite his seemingly "perfect" planning, Mat's original intention of proposing on the fourth of July amidst the wonder of dazzling fireworks was re-routed to a day earlier due to weather forecasts. Nonetheless, Mat knew that he could still surprise her with the ring hidden in his pocket, no matter the setting. After a gluttonous meal of sushi for dinner and an evening of pure bliss, Mat took the completely un-suspecting Kaylin out for a walk along the golf course, Black Bear, behind her house. With Kaylin's sisters hiding amidst the tall grass with their cameras in tow, Mat professed his love for his future bride and knelt before her, asking for her hand in marriage. With tears in her eyes, an unrelenting smile on her face, convinced she was dreaming, she said "YES!!!" before they kissed and embraced, thrilled for their future together.