Ryan and Emily met when they were just 16 years old on a confirmation retreat. Emily just finished packing her bags when her mom asked why she didn't bring her make up with her. "What if you meet a cute boy" she said. "God loves me for me and if he's sending me a man, he will too" she smartly replied. Little did they know, that was God's plan all along.

Ryan and Emily had mutual friends through Emily's dance studio that she mostly hung out with at the retreat so they had a few run-ins. Their first official "conversation" if you'd call it that, was during a game of BS. Ryan was about to call her bluff when the next person laid down their card and they locked eyes as she so smugly called out "peanut butter". From then on everyone exchanged numbers to keep in touch after. It didn't take long for Ryan to make the first move and message her telling her she was "kinda cute".

With both of them being busy with sports and school, they didn't have much time to see one another but they made time like true relationships do. Ryan would pick Emily up from dance, and carry her bags in for her which Emily's mom noticed right away! Emily would stop over at the Backes home after dance and indulge in Disney conversations and a quick episode or two of The Office. Emily would cheer Ryan on from the bench at his basketball games and Ryan made many surprise appearances at her dance competitions.

From then on, they experienced many of life's milestones together. They graduated high school and college, started new jobs, got engaged, bought a house, and planned numerous vacations to Disney World!