In the summer of 2019, fate (and the Ivy College of Business) brought us both to Italy. We met while studying abroad and quickly became best friends. At the time, it wasn’t a love story—just two friends exploring beautiful, historic cities and enjoying the trip of a lifetime. We returned to Iowa State that fall and before we knew it, something shifted. The same connection that made us friends turned into something more, and we started to build a future together. Since then, we’ve been inseparable, whether exploring new places or spending quiet evenings at home. Italy gave us the beginning of our story, but the Midwest is where we found our forever.