On a chilly November evening in 2019, Lauren was bored at home since her roommates (Rob and Arleen) were away. In order to occupy her time, she began to peruse Bumble. A profile seemed very interesting, so she swiped right, even though she later raised concerns to her family as she wondered, "Who is even named Bill anymore and why does he only have one picture?" Turns out that Bill found Lauren's name and profile enticing as well, and they were matched. Lauren initiated a conversation by messaging Bill about his garden. Soon they were chatting about their mutual love of animals, and Lauren must have been so excited to talk about puppies, that she didn't realize Bill had asked her out on a date. Thankfully, as Bill has the patience of a saint, he asked Lauren out AGAIN, to which she said yes! Prior to the first date at Union Straw restaurant, Lauren requested that Bill send another photo of himself to confirm that he was, in fact, real. The date was not as long as it could have been, as Lauren's car needed to be repaired and she had to make it to the dealership before it closed. Lauren and Bill really hit it off, and the date went so well that Lauren almost didn't make it to drop off her car on time. The next three months were a whirlwind of romance, connections, and adventures. They tried new restaurants, Bill impressed Lauren with his culinary skills, and Lauren impressed Bill with her axe throwing. Bill met Lauren's roommates (parents, if you haven't figured that out already) and then accidentally met Lauren's two cousins on a date at a local bar. The beginning of their relationship was unique to what either had experienced in the past, but nothing would prepare them for what life would throw at them next. In March of 2020, Lauren and Bill went from dating to quarantining. The only people that they spent time with were their immediate families and each other. Now that is a way to get to know someone! Bill and Lauren were able to quickly see that they had similar interests, like cooking great food and completing intricate puzzles. Being in such "close contact" also ignited a love and trust that takes some people years, in a matter of months. This trust was tested for sure when Bill allowed Lauren to give him a COVID haircut. Since everything started opening back up agan, Lauren and Bill have been able to have more "date nights" in the real world, they have traveled together, and achieved many personal milestones. In the summer of 2021, Lauren moved in to Bill's house, which was not a huge adjustment, since they had already spent so much time together. The biggest adjustment, in truth, was that Bill needed to show his ability to compromise, by not only giving up the closet in the master bedroom, but all of the remaining closets in the house.

When Bill called Arleen and Rob to talk about proposing to Lauren, they were well prepared: the specs to her dream ring and a handpicked diamond were ready to go. Despite the head start, Bill struggled to find the perfect time and place to propose. After a few false starts, he finally found the right opportunity. Lauren had been sick on New Year’s Eve, so he suggested a makeup New Year’s – a perfect chance to disguise his plans. They made custom beer flights and a charcuterie board to have their own private beer tasting. Then, disaster almost struck. Bill had talked to Arleen and Rob about proposing while they were away in California, and they knew it was going to be that day. Before he had done it, Lauren decided to video call her parents to check in on them! Thankfully, Arleen and Rob played it cool, and Bill was able to signal that he hadn’t proposed yet. There was one final obstacle to clear. Bill planned on proposing with s’mores in front of the fireplace to end the night. He was up against Lauren’s legendary ability to fall asleep on the couch. Luckily, Encanto is a wonderful movie and not even Lauren could fall asleep to Lin-Manuel Miranda songs. After a sweet treat, Bill got down on one knee in front of the fire and asked her to spend the rest of their lives together. Obviously, she said yes.