Separated by about 75 miles, BLUE vs. GREEN, and a cell phone screen, a fateful match on a dating app led to the love you will celebrate on July 11, 2025!

Lauren and Paul would admit they were at their wits end, uncertain if they’d find a connection, and ready to delete dating apps off their phones for good. But in the spring of 2023, they both locked in on kind eyes and happy smiles on the dating app Bumble, and the rest is history…sort of.

Lauren said hello and Paul responded. That would start up conversation (and probably a little vetting) for the next couple weeks before meeting up at Arbor Brewing Company in Ypsilanti, MI. While the first date was good, it didn’t come with the love at first sight sparks you read about in romance novels... don’t expect to get that kind of story here.

After the first date, both got busy, weeks went by and contact was limited, and it seemed like that would be the end of our story here. Paul, though, kept thinking about Lauren - those eyes, her smile, and the deep, kind energy she exudes as if it’s some innate superpower. Paul mustered up the confidence to send a text asking if Lauren might be free for a second date… to his surprise, Lauren said yes!

They met again in Ypsilanti where they had a nice dinner, great conversation, and a romantic walk around Depot Town. That night, the conversation kept going, lots of laughter, similarities found, connection made, and after that evening, both declared they should not wait so much time before meeting up again. They had their next date within a few days! From there Lauren and Paul decided to continue dating and writing their story together.

Lake Michigan has become a special place for Lauren and Paul. Not just because of its majestic beauty and ocean-like size, but it serves as the place where they found love and commitment to each other. Their first out-of-town travel together was a color tour trip to Manistee, MI, which rests right on the Big Lake. It was the two days here where their love really grew and started to blossom, conversations got even deeper, and both started to really believe they had found their person. That’s exactly why it made sense to return to Lake Michigan, this time in Muskegon, for another color tour trip in October 2024 for their engagement.

On the Saturday of their Lake Michigan getaway (October 19th to be exact), Paul was being strange, trying to hurry Lauren along (before feeding her breakfast, a major no-no), because he wanted to go check out Lake Michigan! It was a beautiful morning, blue skies, sunny…perfect. As they both gazed out at the lake, Paul asked Lauren to come closer, awkwardly sat his morning coffee in the sand, and dropped to one knee – again, Lauren said YES, the most important one yet! It’s that YES that will bring us all together in a state we love, a city we adore (Lauren’s birthplace), as we celebrate FOREVER with all of you.