We don't remember the exact moment we met, but it was sometime during our freshman year at Helias High School, when we found ourselves in the same friend group.

Throughout high school and college, we built a solid friendship. We were always joking around with one another, and I would occasionally try to serve as Alex’s wing woman.

Alex eventually decided I was too cool to be just a friend and asked me out more than once. I said no at first because we had such a good friendship and I didn’t want to risk it. On his final attempt, I said yes, but only after making him promise that our friendship would always come first if it didn’t work out.

We decided to make it official on April 12, 2021. Over the course of four years, we shared several trips, dates, nights out, and nights in. During that time, we grew to love each other not only as friends, but as so much more. We still have the same old friendship, but now we also have something even better.

The backstory begins with my grandparents’ 60th wedding anniversary. My family decided to do spring family pictures with both our immediate and extended family, but my brother got sick and could not make it, which was not part of the plan. Fast forward to July. My best friends had planned a girls’ night at the Lake of the Ozarks. We were going to a fancy dinner, which was totally normal or so I thought. Alex had my family convince me we were going to redo the family pictures, this time with my brother able to attend. Knowing this would conflict with my lake plans, Alex counted on me suggesting a different time for the pictures, making me think I was in charge, reverse psychology at its finest. I got ready, expecting the pictures to be rushed because I still had to leave for the lake. But during the session, Alex, posing as a paid actor, complained the whole time, just playing along. Then he got down on one knee and gave a speech, which ended with him asking me to marry him. Of course, I said yes, and instead of heading to the lake, we joined our family and friends for a celebration. Best. Day. Ever!