It's October of 2018. Claire is a senior at Central Michigan University, and although she spends a decent amount of her time studying and applying to graduate programs, she made a pact with her friends to enjoy the bars of Mount Pleasant every Thursday night.

As Halloween was fast approaching, Claire and her friends made their typical visits to the Bird and the Blackstone - following the college drink deals, of course! On that very Thursday night, Cody and his friends made their same journey. As the girls walked around the bar, with their dollar domestics in hand, they spotted a group sitting at a table. Claire didn't think anything of this group as she didn't recognize them, but her friend/roommate, Katie Arcy, ran over to say hi to someone she had met the previous summer. Claire followed her lead and as she approached the table, a man with dark hair, the coolest grey-blue eyes, and a ton of tattoos offered the seat next to him.

They started talking and soon Claire learned that his name was Cody and he studied abroad in Ireland during his time at CMU. Now, anyone that knows Claire, knows that once Cody mentioned his time in Ireland, she was hooked. They exchanged numbers and a kiss (What?! Claire hadn't met any cute guys in college that already knew what Barry's tea was!), and planned to get coffee that weekend. After a three hour coffee date, the two decided to continue hanging out for the weeks to come.

As Christmastime approached, Claire began to feel nervous because she was starting to like Cody, but was going to Ireland for the three weeks of break. Unsure whether things would fizzle out while out of the country, Claire was determined to continue talking to him while there. They would end up texting and FaceTiming over the trip, and about half way through, Claire admitted her feelings and flipped her Claddagh ring to signify she was in a relationship. Once returning back stateside, the two made their relationship official and have been dating ever since.

Over the past six years, this couple has managed two years of long distance, two grad school programs, a permanent move to Michigan, a house, and a dog. Claire and Cody are finally getting married and they cannot wait to celebrate with their closest family and friends!

Wedding Party