Dillon and Katie’s story began in the fall of 2022, when they both started the Marriage and Family Therapy program at Fuller Seminary. Early on, Katie noticed Dillon. During that first quarter, a friend asked her what her “type” was, and without much thought, she pointed at him. The only problem? She was already dating someone else. Classic. An innocent moment of just complimenting his looks!

A few months later, in January, they ended up working together on a class project. Their assignment was to roleplay as a married couple in a band. It was lighthearted and fun, but Dillon saw it as a bit of an opportunity. Afterward, he went to one of Katie’s shows in February, hoping to test the waters. But it turned out to be too soon for Katie—nothing came of it, and Dillon eventually started dating someone else.

Meanwhile, Katie’s interest in him quietly grew, even though their friendship stayed in the "just friends" zone. By June, things shifted. Dillon’s relationship ended, and the two started spending more time together, their connection growing in ways they probably didn’t even realize at first.

Then came the summer. In late June, after one of their weekend intensive classes, Katie invited Dillon to join her on her usual walk around the Rose Bowl. They talked about life, the class, and then everything else. It was during that walk that Dillon began to see Katie in a different light—he knew he wanted to be with her.

Still, neither of them made a move right away. They continued hanging out, going on walks, watching movies, going to coffee shops, and keeping things strictly "friendly" on the surface. But underneath, there was a question neither of them wanted to ask…until July 2nd. After spending more time together, Katie finally asked Dillon what they both had been wondering: "Is there something more going on here?" Dillon admitted what he’d been feeling, and they both realized the answer was a mutual yes. That same night, they officially started dating.

Exactly one year later, on July 2nd, 2024, Dillon proposed to Katie. And this time, the timing was perfect.