DING!


You heard that right, that's the sound of a Tinder match.


Chris and Elizabeth matched on January 10, 2016. She was on a Kappa senior trip in West Portland trying to recruit men to entertain her and her sisters while Chris was in Corvallis getting reacquainted with an old friend, regretfully.


They were just two ships in the night...except they weren't. They kept texting,


and calling,


and sending gifts (first time she tried Mrs. Sandy's famous Apple Pie Jam)!


One month later, after spending most nights talking until 3 am, Elizabeth decided that they had to meet in person! It just so happened the next available weekend was Valentine's Day.


But wait, was that too much pressure for a first date? She didn't care.


But wasn't Chris's mom moving from Hawaii to Shelton that same day? Timing is everything?


And wasn't his mom, aunt, and cousin all staying at his house that night? What a great first impression!


It's now or never baby!


While making many support seeking phone calls to family and friends, Elizabeth drove 3.5 hours into the woods to meet a strange man she only knew over the phone.


And it all worked out!


Chris proved he was very accommodating, generous, and kind! The first date turned into a second, and a third. They soon found themselves spending all of their free time together.


Around their first anniversary, Elizabeth presented Chris with another (let's NOT call it an ultimatum) pressing decision: They needed to move in together, because the long distance was getting too hard. Chris couldn't say no to this.


He loved his new roommate! She bought 6 chickens the first day she moved in instead of unpacking a single box. He knew he made the right choice.


The pair spent the next 2 years playing, learning, and loving! Then a position opened up at the fish hatchery Chris manages, which Elizabeth was perfectly qualified for (almost like it was created for her)! What could be better than living AND working with your partner?! To be young and naive.


Despite many warnings from their inner circle, and some outer circle, they dove head first into spending literally 24/7 together. For the most part, they loved it. They got very lucky in the compatibility market, but they have also learned some very important interpersonal skills to navigate boss/employee, roommate, and lover dynamics.


In 2021, their beloved dog Cider was diagnosed with Lymphoma. This was a devastating blow to their little family! After 14 months of seemingly endless chemo protocols, Cider passed away. During this time, Chris and Elizabeth learned what it takes to care for a sick loved one (they know it was just a dog and not a person but there was A LOT of 2 am diarrhea), made hard financial decisions, and supported each other through very emotional and deep grief. They even dug his grave together, a Daniel Family right of passage!


In 2023, Elizabeth and Chris resolved to have a “live it up” year in contrast to the hermitism they had mostly succumbed to. That spirit brought them to the beautiful Maine coastline in July, a beautiful time! They were visiting Chris' parents, who turned out to be excellent photographers under pressure.


Chris got down on one knee and asked Elizabeth to be his everything, forever and always. She said YES of course, after all she had been waiting for years!


Don't worry, you aren't the only one who didn't see many photos of the event. Elizabeth was playing too close to the waves in a white shirt and inadvertently entered a wet t-shirt contest. Photos were....explicit. It was the best day ever!


Today, the couple is so looking forward to celebrating their nuptials with you in the fall. They have expanded their small family to include a cat named Hamma and a sweet baby Golden Retriever named Dierks. Oh! and their 3 million fish babies. All are anxiously waiting until their mom can share their last name at the vet!




I-I-I-I'm scared to death that she might be it
That the love is real, that the shoe might fit
She might just be my everything and beyond (beyond)
Space and time in the afterlife
Will she have my kids? Will she be my wife?
She might just be my everything and beyond
-Leon Bridges Beyond






Another note:
Around year 5 Chris finally installed internet/Elon Musk invented forest internet aka Starlink. They quickly jerry-rigged it from the hatchery to their house. Can you believe they lasted that long with no contact to the outside world?? Must be true love.