Adam and Emily met at Elmhurst College when Adam was a senior and Emily was a sophomore. They met playing in the Elmhurst College Wind Ensemble. Adam played saxophone, and Emily sat in the row in front of him playing the flute. Apparently, Adam thought Emily was really cute from day one of rehearsal in the fall, but didn't work up enough courage to try to talk to her until February! Elmhurst College hosts a Jazz Festival every year in the end of February, and Adam was the Stage Manager that year. He was in charge of setting up and tearing down the chairs and stands in-between each group. He sent out a mass Facebook message to the students involved in the music department to try and find some recruits. Guess who was included on that list? Emily. She responded quickly, excited to be a part of the Jazz Fest (the free t-shirt and admission was a good incentive too). Adam's master plan worked. He later admitted the only reason he included her on that list was in hopes that she would respond, and he would have an excuse to get her phone number. Their first date was a 3 hour stroll around Elmhurst one night in February just talking about anything and everything.

In most cases, the story would end with "…and the rest was history!", but not this one. Adam and Emily dated for two years, and just before Emily graduated, they went their own separate ways. Both were very excited and determined in their career choices and unwilling to sacrifice them. Adam had landed a great job with Yamaha and Emily wanted to open her own flower shop. Adam's job meant relocating in a few years, and Emily's job meant putting down roots to stay. They were apart for about a year and a half and both dated other people. Then, one night in the summer of 2013, Jesse (Adam's best man) and Laura (Jesse's girlfriend, and one of Emily's bridesmaids) invited them separately to come to Millenium Park in Chicago for a free concert that was going on. Adam and Emily got to catch up a little bit, and were both surprised at how easy it still was to talk to each other. A couple weeks and some serious life conversations later, they were back together! And the rest was history…

On the one year anniversary of being back together, Adam took Emily out for a nice dinner at an Italian restaurant in Elmhurst. Afterward, he suggested that they take a walk around town, just like in college. Emily gladly went along with it; the weather was beautiful and it was fun to reminisce with Adam. They walked and walked and eventually Adam suggested they walk through campus. They made one lap around the grassy mall, and started to continue on, when Adam changed direction and walked back toward the mall. He found a nice spot on the small hill in front of the chapel, where they used to have Wind Ensemble rehearsals, and sat down. Emily sat down next to him. They were sitting for awhile, when Adam reached into his pocket, and pulled something out. He cupped it in his hands, and said, "I have something for you. But you have to guess what it is."

Emily said, "Is it a lightning bug?!"

"No, it involves a question, and in order to get it, you have to answer the question correctly."

At that point, he opened the box and said, "Emily, will you marry me?"

Of course Emily said yes, started crying, and couldn't believe it was actually happening. They called both sets of parents while still sitting on the hill, who knew the whole time that it was coming. After awhile, they returned home to share the good news with the rest of their friends and family.