Our love story goes further back than even I realize sometimes. The first time I “met” Hallee would have been over a FaceTime call with my sister while I was still in college

and Hallee happened to be in the background. I never would have thought that was how I met my future wife. From there though, it took a few years for us to actually meet and

start our journey together.

The first time we met in person was in December of 2021 when Hallee and Sarah graduated from DBU together and we all went to celebrate. A large group of us went to dinner together and while I remember thinking how pretty Hallee was, as one of Sarah’s close friends, I didn’t ever consider we would be more than acquaintances. However, Sarah and Hallee became roommates and moved back to Georgetown where I was living with my parents at the time. They would come over frequently to use the laundry machine, have dinner, and family gatherings. Through these small everyday things is where I came to first know and appreciate Hallee. I slowly found that I would look forward to days they would come over, but I also tried to suppress those feelings

because I had no interest in dating my sister’s friend and roommate. But considering you all are reading Hallee and my wedding website, it is clear that things did not go as planned, and I could not be happier. Hallee was the one to reach out at first. When her name popped up on my phone and I got as excited as I did was when I realized that for the first time, I was in real trouble of falling for one of my sister’s friends. She invited me to grab a coffee from the coffee shop she was working during this time while she was working one day. I didn’t expect much more than a short conversation, but she sat down with me and talked for at least 45 minutes. This was the first time we had a conversation with just the two of us and I don’t specifically recall the conversation we had. I do remember when I left having felt so comfortable and silently looking forward to the next opportunity I would have.

It didn’t take long for that next opportunity. In a few short weeks it would be 4 th of July, and I had received an invite to the Philippus

Lake House for the weekend. That weekend showed me Hallee in her element and I loved it! Time on the jet ski, wake surfing, and a long night on the paddleboard Hallee

and I got to know each other on a deeper level as well as plan our first date for the following weekend to grab lunch together. Our first date went so well I agreed to go sky

diving as our second date, which if you know how scared of heights I am, that should mean a lot.

Soon after Hallee and I became official. Our first year together brought a lot of fond memories. I moved to Pflugerville so we would spend any free time either together

or on the road to get together. In November of 2022 Hallee took in Rhett, who at the time was a stray off the streets and now a key family member. The following spring we

went on a Caribbean cruise together, where we found how much we love to travel together. The summertime was full of weekend drives to get to the lake then race to get

back to town so I could play soccer on Sundays, both doing what we loved. That summer was also when our home animal shelter grew a little bit bigger when Axle Rodger Penske Elston Philippus was saved from the underside of a truck as a one-week-old kitten. Then just before our one-year anniversary I was offered a promotion to relocate to Kansas City, MO a city neither of us had ever been to. We decided to take the leap of faith and make the move in August of 2023.

Kansas City was probably the best thing that could have happened for us. We knew it wouldn’t be home for forever, but it offered us a new adventure and a place to

be ourselves together. In our almost two years in Kansas City, we faced ups and downs together and it brought us closer than I could have ever imagined. Eventually though dark winter days with negative temps, no lake access, and a longing for family dictated that we look elsewhere and in March of 2025 I was able to accept a position that

brought us back to Austin! We were quickly back to our lake weekends and soccer Sundays. Then almost exactly three years after we officially started dating, I took the

opportunity to ask her to spend the rest of our lives together and she said yes.

Now that was just the prologue. For now, we count down the days until July 11, 2026 when the rest of our love story will continue.

H&C

Wedding Day

Reception