Katie and Justin’s story started in July 2023—literally days before Justin packed up and moved across the country. Most people would’ve said, “bad timing, let it go.” But not these two. Instead, they dove right in with daily phone calls, endless video chats, and more cheesy conversations than either of them will ever admit (the kind of stuff straight out of a rom-com montage).

By December, Justin was itching to make it back to Texas. The thought of the weekend had Katie’s anxiety working overtime. It took a lot of coaxing (and some persistent nudging) from Marissa before Katie finally agreed to let him come back to Texas for a weekend visit. That trip was unforgettable. After a night out at Buford’s, Katie lost her phone, and the two of them ended up wandering downtown Austin like a comedy duo—equal parts chaos and charm. Instead of scaring him off, it proved Justin was sticking around.

From there, they made it work almost every other weekend. Sometimes it was long drives, sometimes flights, sometimes quick turnarounds—but always making the most of every moment. Even when Justin had to spend six weeks in Arizona for training, they didn’t miss a beat. Katie flew out to visit, and together they collected desert sunsets, late-night talks, and the unforgettable memory of an Airbnb that smelled so strongly of cat pee it’s still an ongoing joke.

Right before Katie finally packed up and left Texas, there was a Disney trip with her family. It was magical, chaotic, and even included Justin getting roped into a little family cooking duty (a rite of passage, apparently). Soon after, Katie did the unthinkable—she left Texas. (Yes, Justin really is the only one who could’ve pulled that off.)

Almost a year later, back at Disney, came the moment. Following family tradition—her parents had gotten engaged there, as had her brother and sister-in-law—Justin carried it forward. During the Happily Ever After fireworks, while they floated on a boat in the lagoon, Justin dropped to one knee. But here’s the twist: Marissa and Leslie had orchestrated nearly every detail behind the scenes, while Justin played the role of “mastermind” who just had to show up and seal the deal. For Marissa, it was a full-circle moment—after all, she was the one who convinced Katie to let him come back to Texas in the first place. Katie said yes—making Disney not just a family tradition, but their own storybook chapter.

Now, nearly two years later, they’re still laughing about lost phones in Austin, cheesy late-night conversations, cat pee Airbnbs, and Disney adventures big and small—proving that the chaos has always been part of the plan.