It all started with us both swiping right in July 2017... That's right, we met on Tinder like your typical millennial. That is where the predictability of our story stops. Matt messaged me first with a bold: "that's a lot of piercings." I laughed when I saw that I guy with two sleeves was calling me out for all of my piercings (at the time I had 28 piercings, mostly in my ears). So I responded back with: "that's a lot of tattoos." Somehow our stunning opening words led to us agreeing to meet up that night at a death metal show at The Maywood. I don't remember any of the music that night, but I do remember having an awesome night talking to a pretty cute guy. We went on a few different dates that month and while I always had fun hanging out with Matt, the timing wasn't right and I told Matt that I thought we would be better off as friends. Over the next several months, we met up a couple of times and he was often the person I decided to call on my long rides home from work. On February 28 2018, I reached out to Matt to see what he was doing that coming Friday and he told me that the band he was in was playing at the Maywood and he invited me to come out and watch. He didn't think I would show up that Friday, but I did and that night is proof of the importance of timing and it changed the path of both of our lives forever. Since the night that we reconnected we have had many adventures including adopting two rescue pups, spending days snuggling with our Bengal cats, adventuring to New York and back with a few fun stops along the way, relaxing on the beach, cheering on our football teams, and moving into our first home together! Matt proposed on February 21, 2021 and set us on our most exciting adventure yet! We cannot wait to celebrate on June 18, 2022 with everyone as we begin the rest of our lives as a married couple!

By looking at Rachel and myself, it would probably come as a surprise that our story started with us complimenting each other's tattoos and piercings, to then end up meeting at a local death metal show. A background that set the stage for a wonderful and growing relationship. A relationship that started somewhat incomplete, an imperfect beginning, and truth to the "Timing is Everything" motto. One reconnection later, and the years have flown by. It's hard to recall a life before my best friend. Before our fur kids and a playlist that tells our story better than we could put into words. From all of our A-words (our pups know the word adventure, so we have to speak in code), to just lounging around on our days and nights off, either around the fire pit or snuggled up with our fur babies, we always make the most of our time together. For time was what brought us back together, time is what we cherish most. We have had the journey of a lifetime getting to where we are now. A brand new house with only our memories to fill it. Vacations to spots that would only make sense to us. Our inside jokes keep me laughing while I'm away at work. Our songs remind me of exact moments in time, never to be forgotten. Our Bengals and rescue Pitties are our world. Ours. On June 18th, I get to marry my best friend. Something that everyone dreams of doing. Our lives couldn't have been more different, but are now so intertwined that it's hard to tell one from the other. June 18th, 2022 will be a truly perfect end for an imperfect beginning. An end not in story, but in chapter alone, and I cannot wait to see where this book of two souls goes.