Anthony and I met a week after he moved to Minneapolis in June 2019. We first connected on a dating app, and historians disagree about who messaged who first, but we arranged to meet in person at a local brewery, Lynlake Brewery. The location was my idea as I had lived here for two years already, so I knew that this would be the perfect place for us. It was early June, and the evenings were still chilly, so their rooftop at sunset was the perfect setting for drinks around the fire pit. We stayed there for nearly four hours chatting, and we only left because the brewery closed. I invited him to see an outdoor movie with me and my friends, Tara and Gunnar, the next day, and he said yes. A month later, I asked him to be my boyfriend.

That summer we met each others' families, spent nearly every day together, and were probably insufferable to be around. When I met Anthony's mom, she (kindly) threatened me and told me not to hurt him, and to this day I still heed her warning.

In August of that first summer together, we took a short road trip up north to hike in Taylor's Falls, which to our astonishment, did not have a waterfall. On our way home, I googled wineries nearby and found one called Winehaven. We decided to check it out, and it became one of our favorite places to visit. After a wine tasting and very little food, I was in the passenger seat feeling rather wine drunk, and I remember holding Anthony's hand knowing that I was in love. Later that night, I told him that for the first time.

The pandemic was hard on many couples, but for us it seemed to only bond us more. I was laid off for about 4 months, so I basically moved into Anthony's apartment. It became clear that we weren't going to get sick of each other any time soon, and in fact, we were happiest just being together.

The next four years included many milestones such as moving in together, adopting our two dogs Rose and Poppy, and eventually buying a condo together. The topic of marriage was coming up more often, and we shared our excitement and fears over the idea. In early 2023, Anthony gave me the greenlight to propose. What he didn't know was that I was already talking with our friend, who happens to be an excellent jeweler, to design the perfect ring.

On September 9th, 2023, I took Anthony back to Winehaven to propose. We ordered a wine flight and a flatbread, then we went for a walk through the vineyard. We happened across a beautiful pond in a wooded area of the winery, which seemed like the perfect place to ask him to marry me. I don't remember everything I said, but I do remember ending my little speech with, "In order to start our forever together, I need to ask: will you marry me?" Seeing that you are reading this on our wedding website, I bet you can guess his answer.

We are both so excited and grateful to celebrate with all of you soon. It's not lost on us that we grew up in a time where this marriage wouldn't have been possible, so being able to marry each other surrounded by all our loved ones holds extra reverence for us. Thank you for all of your support, and we can't wait to see you on the big day!

-Jake