Our story began when I mustered the courage to sneak into her messages on Facebook! While I like to think I first spotted Abbey at Uptown Grill shortly after returning from Germany, she doesn’t remember- so who knows? However, maybe we passed each other at a high school football game or one of our high school musicals and just didn’t realize it!

Early in our relationship I was working at a job in Virginia (talk about bad timing!) just as we were starting to connect. Despite the distance, we made it work, bonding over “Truth or Drink “ sessions on FaceTime that got us deep into each other’s hearts—and maybe a little tipsy too!

When I moved back to Michigan, our first date was at CJ’s and we realized how close we’d actually been to each other throughout our childhoods. We knew it was just the beginning of our adventures together.

From walking the desolate beaches of Virginia during Covid, to experiencing the magic of Disney World, to standing in awe at the stunning landscapes of Iceland, we’ve made some unforgettable memories. In 2022, we packed our bags and moved from Michigan to the Windy City, diving into new jobs and new experiences. Along the way, we’ve navigated some ups and downs, including some tough losses, but we’ve also gained amazing friends who have made the ride even better.

One of our favorite things about each other? We can finish each other’s sentences! It’s like we have our own secret language—though sometimes it results in some hilarious misunderstandings. We embrace each other’s quirks and strive to turn our flaws into fun little adventures.

The cherry on top of our love story? My proposal to her on Diamond Beach in Iceland! I earned a trip through work to go in April. Just weeks before leaving, we started looking at rings. I even bought the one she picked out right in front of her (oops!), but returned it to find the one that I thought fit her perfectly. What better place to propose than on a beach with diamonds of ice?

As we dream about our future, we can’t wait to travel more, buy our first home, and get a big backyard for our dog, Winnie, to run wild in. Who knows, maybe we’ll even start our own tattoo shop one day! We’re so excited to celebrate our love with all of you!