On May 30, 2020, COVID-19 lockdowns were in full swing, but this didn’t stop Bre from traveling to her old college town of Ellensburg with her good friends. Kittitas County, where Ellensburg is located, was one of the first counties to lift dining restrictions. At the same time, AJ had just arrived home in Ellensburg from a long work trip. With nothing in his fridge, he decided to go out and ended up at The Pearl Bar & Grill, downtown Ellensburg. While sitting at the bar, in walked Bre and her friends. Immediately, Bre caught AJ’s eye, so he decided to talk to her friends and asked to sit by them, making sure he sat right next to Bre (wink wink).

After talking, laughing, and consuming multiple vodka sodas, they decided to go on a date in the beautiful town of Leavenworth. With Leavenworth still being mostly locked down, they ate pizza on the curb and then walked through the town park. The date was a success, and it was fair to say they fell in love right then and there.

After dating long distance for over six months, Bre decided to pack up from her hometown of Puyallup and move in with AJ in Ellensburg. Once remote work had ended, AJ then decided to move with Bre closer to Seattle.

During their 2023 summer vacation to Idaho and Montana, AJ decided it was time to pop the question. It was there in Coeur dAlene, in front of the little red chapel where Bre’s parents were married 40 years ago, that AJ got on one knee and asked Bre to marry him.