Elliott and Leanna had known each other through a mutual friend from high school. Twelve years later, Leanna followed Elliott on Instagram and their fateful story began.

In the beginning, the two established a friendship and were happy to hear how the other had been doing all those years, and finally have an opportunity to get to know one another.

In December 2021, the two met for Starbucks on Fairway Road in Kitchener, only to realize the cafe was not allowing any patrons to sit in due to the pandemic. They ended up sitting in Elliott’s mom’s car for nearly four hours sipping their beverages and covering a whirlwind of topics. One of these topics included Leanna asking Elliott what he wanted from life (and love). Elliott didn’t have a firm answer at that moment, but it prompted him to seriously think about the question.

A few months later in March 2022, the two friends got together again. This time, at Elliott’s new apartment. Coincidentally (wink), the apartment was right across the street from Leanna’s place in downtown Kitchener. The two talked for hours again, this time in lawn chairs in his living room because the furniture order hadn’t arrived yet. The topic came up again, what did Elliott want out of life and love? This time he had a confident answer. He wanted to share his life with someone, to have a family one day.

Leanna had been focusing on getting to know her new friend Elliott, but with romantic curiosity bubbling in the back ground. She wanted to know that they were aligned in what they wanted from life before she took the next step with Elliott. That night in the lawn chairs, it became clear to her that she should move forward to see where things could go.

The two have been inseparable since that night in the lawn chairs. As their loved ones know, they have been through many difficult times in their love story. There has been tragedy, ups and downs, trial and error, smiles and endless laughter, and blood, sweat, and tears at times fighting through life together. What they know for sure three years later, is that they want to face every high and low by each other’s side.