Michelle and Tom both worked as DJs for the University of Oregon campus radio station, KWVA 88.1. Michelle's usual shifts were on Fridays, and Tom's on Tuesdays. Michelle decided to fill in for an open shift one Tuesday, and was listening to KWVA as she drove to the station, noting that the current DJ had really good music taste. Michelle walks into the broadcasting room and immediately starts chatting with the cute DJ Sul (Tom). Tom needed to leave for class and headed out the door and down the stairs before realizing he had left his beanie back in the room. He took that as his chance to ask for Michelle's number, they went on a date the next day, and have been inseparable ever since.

Michelle and Tom had a camping trip planned in Washington one weekend in September, in the prime of fire season in the Pacific Northwest. The plan was to drive to the camp spot Friday night and take a day hike on Saturday to a fire lookout with views of 3 mountains, where Tom was planning on proposing to Michelle. Well, Friday night as they were driving up to Washington and approaching their camp site, there was an evacuation notice placed because of a forest fire in the area, requiring Michelle and Tom to turn back around towards Portland. As they were heading back and the sun was setting, Michelle noticed that Tom was driving really fast to try and find a rest spot to "eat some dinner". They found a scenic pull out at Mayfield Lake, and Michelle started to prepare to make a quick meal. Tom called Michelle to the front of the car, got down on one knee, and proposed. A beautiful surprise for both!