We met in November of '21 like many people do nowadays: online dating. Claire knew exactly what she wanted and Mike was starting on a fresh new chapter of his life. She was ready to sign up right away, but he realized that he needed to work on himself a bit before committing. So, a friendship began. With similar passions of adventure and music, that friendship grew quickly. Late night talks, mosh pits at concerts, and genuine conversations that flowed seamlessly. Less than a year of knowing each other, we made plans to take a trip to Europe. That's where Mike realized his true feelings for Claire. It took a bit, even after that, because he didn't think she felt the same. It wasn't until Claire's best friend Molly told him to stop being an idiot and ask her out already. "How do you not know Claire likes you too?" Some time after that, Mike finally asked Claire to be his girlfriend. We had known each other for a year and a half, and everything just came naturally. Love blossomed as if it had always been there. Over the next couple years, they traveled to California, Costa Rica, and many road trips in between. In March of '25, on another road trip, Mike and Claire stopped in DC. He knew this was the day he'd finally pop "The Question" but didn't know where and when. Mike carried the ring in his pocket the entire day. They visited the Smithsonian and Mike cracked jokes at the gem exhibit about "would this be an adequate diamond?" and "what if I got you something like this?" Somehow he hid his nervousness. After that, the next stop was the wharf for a special dinner. On the way, they passed thru a garden and Mike knew this was the place. He set up his phone for a "timed picture" to capture this moment. Like the sap Mike is, he professed his love for Claire before kneeling and proposing. "Yes!" she exclaimed, and Mike was an idiot again and responded, "Are you sure?" Yes. 1000% yes. The wedding planning began immediately, not wanting to waste any more time getting to their special day!