It all began in November 2022. Hannah was working a late-night event in Old Town Scottsdale when a colleague introduced her to a young gentleman named Aaron. Depending on who you ask, the story plays out a little differently—Aaron might say Hannah was standoffish and not exactly friendly, while Hannah would argue she was wrapping up a 15-hour day and was ready to go home. Either way, it was the start of something neither of them expected.

Fast forward to April 2023, when Hannah invited Aaron on a spontaneous day trip to Prescott with her oldest brother, Nathan, his wife Kara, and their 3-month-old son, Graham. It was a bold move—Hannah will tell you that meeting Nathan before anyone else in her family is arguably more intimidating than meeting her dad. But something clicked that day, and they both knew their connection was something special. That night, while out in Downtown Gilbert and multiple drinks in, Aaron officially asked Hannah to be his girlfriend. Her immediate response? “Are you going to remember this tomorrow morning?” Spoiler alert: he absolutely did.

The rest of 2023 was full of laughter, deep conversations, and travel. The two were inseparable, experiencing life side by side.

In January 2024, Hannah (and her beloved cat Wednesday) moved into Aaron’s home. A few months later, they relocated together to Downtown Phoenix and embraced their new “city life.”

In April 2024, they celebrated their one-year anniversary with a trip to Las Vegas. Over the year, they had adventured to Mexico, Colorado, Flagstaff, Florida, San Diego, and made several visits to their favorite city—Los Angeles.

A year later, to celebrate their second anniversary in April 2025, they enjoyed a staycation at the Montelucia the weekend before. Sadly, on April 7th—on their actual anniversary—Hannah’s grandmother, Elizabeth Ann Cole-Vanderwey, passed away. It was one of the hardest days Hannah has faced, but Aaron’s unwavering support meant the world to her, and she again realized she had her life partner by her side.

To close out their dating chapter, they took a special trip to Mission Beach in San Diego. On their second morning, after a gym session and grabbing coffee at Better Buzz, they took a walk along the bayside to visit Hannah’s family beach house. It was there, with the ocean breeze and morning sun, that Aaron asked the biggest question yet. Before he could even finish the sentence, Hannah had already said “Yes!”

Now, Hannah and Aaron are beyond excited to celebrate their unconditional love with their family and friends. They are so grateful to everyone who has supported them throughout their journey. Here's to love, laughter, and the beautiful adventure ahead.

#HowardEverAfter

Registry

We are registered at Amazon, Crate & Barrel and Pottery Barn. Our registry for Pottery Barn is linked at the bottom of this page! Thank you for your kindness and generosity as we celebrate this special occasion together.