Blake and Claire met during orientation week of undergraduate school at Case Western Reserve University in the fall of 2016. They became study buddies and then best friends before they started dating in December of their freshman year.

On December 19, 2020, Blake planned a romantic day filled with Claire's favorite activities to do together - cooking up a full brunch spread, going to a local coffee shop, and getting Mitchell's ice cream. After a stroll walking down memory lane around their college campus, Blake popped the question at Wade Lagoon outside of the Cleveland Museum of Art, and Claire said YES! They celebrated with dinner at L'albatros, one of their favorite restaurants to go to together.