Our Story

Lara and I met back in 2019. We were a couple of “adults” living in Madison still trying to figure out what we wanted to do with our lives. Lara was fresh out of a couple years teaching abroad in Spain and I was applying to grad schools in order to change career paths from banking.

On our first date, we went to a bar and a movie. We saw Joker. I’ll never forget this day not only because it was our first date, but because I pathetically leaned in for a kiss during the movie and not surprisingly got rejected. I thought it was over right then and there. Luckily, I was wrong (she gave me a kiss after the movie).

I ended up getting accepted to UNC Chapel Hill which was super exciting but also nerve wrecking because I didn’t know what that meant for Lara and I. Well, I must have done something right because Lara told me she wanted to join me in my adventure to North Carolina and I didn’t even have to ask.

We’ve been through a lot together, starting our lives in North Carolina. We welcomed our first dog, Leo, into our lives, made it through the pandemic, bought a house, adopted our second dog, Winston, went to numerous concerts, explored new cities, made new friends, discovered our new favorite ice cream shops, celebrated birthdays, and got engaged.

I knew I would ask Lara to marry me the second she told me she wanted to come to North Carolina. Still to this day, I am so lucky and thankful that she was brave enough to take that chance on me. And on October 19, 2024, I’ll be the happiest man alive because I get to call her my wife.

Here’s to many more years of taking chances!

-Matt

The Colonial Inn