It all started when we were just kids, 12 years old and completely unaware that our lives were about to change forever. My older sister Maddie and David’s older brother Kevin were friends, and thought it would be cute to play matchmaker. So they planned to introduce us at a Grandville vs. Jenison high school football game. I was in 5th grade at Jenison, and David was in 6th at Grandville.

We met that night, and as cheesy as it sounds, we instantly had a crush on each other. From there, we started hanging out on weekends: whether it was at the mall, Tarry Hall Roller Rink, or each other's houses. We’ve got so many hilarious memories from those early days that we still laugh about.

For most of our teenage years, we were “just friends.” There were a few flings in high school and afterward, but nothing too serious. That changed at the end of 2020.

I had some friends over at my house, David included. We were listening to music when Real Love Baby by Father John Misty came on, and I said how much I loved the song. David immediately said, “Marry me?”, totally joking, of course. But later that night, during some deeper conversation, he asked if I’d ever consider giving us a real shot. I was hesitant at first, we had been friends for years. But deep down, I always knew there was something there. After all, he was my first kiss (not even joking).

And now, here we are. Who would’ve thought that silly, spontaneous “marry me?” would turn into the real thing?

We feel incredibly lucky. Not many couples can say they’ve been besties for 21 years. We’ve truly grown up together, and we’ve always been each other’s constant. We’re beyond excited to finally tie the knot in June 2026 and start this next chapter, officially.