Tori and Mike met sometime around 2018 through a mutual friend. While they only hung out a few times in group settings and never really spoke much one-on-one, they became connected on social media. Then years later, in 2023, the two of them briefly connected on a topic dear to their hearts a few times over messages through Instagram. During one of those exchanges, it led to a phone call. Neither Tori or Mike were romantically pursuing each other, and both of them expected this phone call to last mere minutes before returning to their normal lives... but this phone call, which lasted 3 hours, changed them both indelibly. Mike took a leap of faith and called Tori back the next night... and this call also lasted several hours. Mike and Tori continued to speak on the phone every single night for several hours for 2 1/2 weeks before they went on their first date... and the rest was history (and they STILL spoke on the phone for several hours every single night until the day she moved in). After about 2 months after dating, Mike told Tori, "I think I might be falling in love with you" the night she met his family for the first time (which made her heart skip a beat, because she had the very same thought just the night before). After 7 months of dating, they moved in together... and after nearly 4 months of living together, Mike asked Tori to marry her (and saying "yes" was the easiest question she has ever answered!). Warmly embraced by Tori's son, Christian, the two of them cannot wait for other future endeavors as they embark on this journey of becoming a family and for their love story to continue to grow.

On September 21, 2024, Mike asked Tori if she wanted to go to a nice dinner together. It had been a while since the two of them had dinner just the two of them, and Mike played it off just like that. He also suggested they go to the beach first, since it was close by the restaurant he wanted to take her to. But, Mike told Tori that they shouldn't wear bathing suits, because the restaurant they were going to after is very upscale. Tori was somewhat confused by this and asked what she should wear to the beach and questioned Mike to some minor panic, but eventually she relented. Just hours before Mike proposed, he even tried to throw Tori off her scent (he was convinced she knew what was happening) by asking her if she wanted to go look at engagement rings with him next weekend... but no scent was even faint, because Tori had no idea what was to come. Mike and Tori walked down the stairs to El Matador Beach in Malibu, CA and sat together on the beach for about 40 or so minutes upon arriving, which is when Mike asked Tori if she wanted to walk around. As they were walking, they passed by a pregnant woman with a photographer, clearly taking maternity photos. On the ground directly to the right of that woman were rose petals in the shape of a heart - Tori assumed them for the photoshoot, which was seemingly further proven as Mike and Tori walked right passed it (this is because Mike had his friend, Gina, there hiding; Gina is a photographer and he wanted her there to capture the moment, but he did not immediately recognize Gina as they walked by, and he was concerned she was not there yet). Once Mike realized Gina was there, he said "actually, let's go this way". So, they turned around and Mike directed Tori inside the rose petal heart and Tori almost pulled him back as she thought he was walking into the pregnant woman's photoshoot only to be shocked by Mike dropping down to one knee. Due to shock, Tori had NO memory of what Mike said to her when he asked her to marry him, and had to ask him what he said to her... but she knew she said "yes". What Mike told Tori was that he loved her and wanted her to be his family. To Tori's surprise, Gina came and took many photographs of the special moment, and they even got to pose for some photos. Tori remained in shock during the entire process... and it was finally when they got back to their belongings to pack up and go to dinner that Tori was like, "wait - you want to MARRY... ME? You want me to be your wife, and you want to be my husband?!" Mike said a lot of very sweet words in response to that, and then it all hit Tori and she cried tears of joy as they embraced. They then went to Mastro's in Malibu, CA where they enjoyed one of the most delicious (and one of the most painfully filling!) dinners as they looked over the sunset on the beach, and there began their journey to enter a life as eventual husband and wife.

Mike is very a tender-hearted, generous, salt-of-the-earth man who is impossible not to love. Mike is known for: his contagious laugh, the love for his dog, Sophie, & has never met a stranger. Tori is a humor-driven homebody, passionate, and maybe just a touch neurotic ;-) Tori is known for: being a wordsmith, the love for her son, Christian, & texting her friends to call her if she sees a person approaching so she doesn't have to socialize ("Sorry, I've got to take this call!"). Yet, as the extrovert in Mike and the introvert in Tori collide, they compliment each other perfectly. As a couple, Tori and Mike are very romantic and affectionate with each other on fairly consistent basis (previously described as "touchy feely") but it comes all too inherent to them - the lack of physical touch for too long feels unnatural. They are also very silly together and are always laughing, which is probably the core of their relationship (being best friends in addition to the beautiful romance they share). Both major foodies, the two of them put on some pounds as a couple, but this has also been a cornerstone in the growth of their love (and their bodies, lol) - to collectively enjoy the little things in their day-to-day lives with more pleasure and gratitude than before; the shared experiences of what was previously mundane now have more purpose. But they are committed to getting fit (well, fitter...) sometime before the wedding. Eventually. Maybe after the holidays... Tori and Mike have one of the most organic, easiest relationships you can imagine, and being together is seemingly serendipitous... neither of them can imagine life without each other. With deep adoration and an immense love for each other, marriage is a natural next step in their journey full of laughing to tears, eating to stomach pain and seemingly forced social interactions (a fair compromise to Tori, as there is very little she won't do for Mike).