Our story began in 2018, 4,151 miles away in Differdange, Luxembourg during our sophomore year of college. People always say that studying abroad changed their life and for us, it definitely did.

After traveling to Amsterdam together, we had our first date during the last week of the semester at Restaurant - Pizzeria San Marino in Differdange. We spent hours talking over pizza and pasta until the restaurant was closing up. We ended the night catching a train ride back to our homestays, Marshall stealing a kiss before Kristen’s stop at Oberkorn.

Once we were back in the United States, we stayed connected throughout our junior year of college. We hung out at a few date parties, but our relationship didn’t take off until our senior year of college. After a summer apart at internships in Columbus and D.C., Marshall came back ready to pursue a serious relationship. On September 24, 2019, we officially started dating.

After graduating in the midst of the global pandemic, Kristen took a job in Columbus working for Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Marshall still was searching for work and decided to pursue a master’s degree. We were against the odds in a long-distance relationship, flying from CMH-DCA many times during the pandemic on empty flights. A month before Marshall’s graduation – he had had enough and applied for jobs in Columbus. A few days later he landed a job at EY in Columbus.

It was a jam packed couple of years after moving in together. Four CPA exams, three moves, two new jobs, and one high energy Aussie-doodle all proved challenging but made our relationship stronger. Even when the going gets tough, life is better together with your best friend.

Forty-eight hours of chaos. On Friday, May 17, 2024, Kristen closed on our first home in Hilliard. With emotions running high, Marshall wanted to continue to make the weekend memorable. Met with resistance, Marshall luckily was able to get Kristen up and ready to walk around the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens the following morning. After nervously rushing through the various biomes, the couple finally exited the John F. Wolfe Palm House to be met with two conspicuous photographers taking shots of the nearby foliage. Marshall’s prepared remarks evaporated as soon as he met Kristen’s gaze, and she questioned the oddity of the photographers. He fumbled over some words and dropped to one knee, asking “Will you marry me?”

To this day we aren’t sure what Kristen replied, but we are sure that our love will endure and we cannot wait to begin our life together as one.