#TwoPettitsInAPod

Chris and Dede met after they connected on a dating app called Coffee Meets Bagel one Thursday in September of 2021. They messaged each other back and forth all weekend and on Monday after work, Chris called Dede for the first time. Each day that week he called and each night they talked longer and longer. They couldn't believe how much they had in common from their love of music and theater, to the fact that they had both lost their former partners a year apart. They decided to meet outside at Arcade92 off the square in McKinney and ended up walking around downtown to find a restaurant for dinner. They had dinner and returned to Arcade92 to play games for hours. Chris pretty much dominated every arcade game except Guitar Hero, where Dede "rocked it like a hurricane". They knew they'd found something special in each other and shortly after that date, they officially started dating. The rest is history! <3

Chris proposed to Dede at The Comedy Arena in downtown McKinney, Texas on Saturday, April 15th, 2023. Chris planned everything down to the T - he made sure both of their parents were there along with two of their best friends, Kendra and Andrew, and he had all the ComedySportz players in on the proposal. At the end of the ComedySportz match Chris was refereeing, a slide show played that Chris had made showing the dates of their first date, their anniversary, and then the date he was proposing. One of their friends and fellow players in ComedySportz (Ali Decker) played the part of Dede in the short scenes they re-enacted in slow-motion (a la a montage). As “Odds Are” by Barenaked Ladies (one of their songs) played over the speakers, they re-enacted Chris and Dede’s first date Arcade92 and then their anniversary trip to a cabin in Broken Bow. Chris then had Dede brought up on stage and got down on one knee in front of everyone. The crowd, made up of friends, family, and unsuspecting patrons erupted in applause as Dede covered her mouth in surprise at this incredibly romantic gesture. Dede of course approached Chris and they kissed, as he placed the ring on her hand. (Yes, he did have to ask which hand to put it on...lol) The rest is history! <3