A tale as old as time... we both swiped right!

It all began on Hinge in July 2020. Stephen (yes, Stephen—but more on that later) wasted no time in asking to exchange numbers. His first text? “Hey, it’s Stephen Busam.” An important detail to remember. They chatted for a few days, and then… radio silence. It seemed like the spark had fizzled. But no! After a week of crickets, Stephen resurfaced with an apology—he had been swamped with work (which, spoiler alert, makes perfect sense now).

Their first date was set for an Italian pizza spot in Madeira, but on the morning of the date, they discovered it was closed. So, they pivoted to Top Golf in West Chester. Three hours later, Lauren was grinning like an idiot. It was easy, effortless—like they had known each other forever. That night, she told her dad about the date, and his immediate response? “A three-hour date at Top Golf is not cheap. I like this guy.” Clearly, Dad approved.

After that, they were practically inseparable, having date nights every night for the next week. On their second date, they ran into Lauren's cousin, and naturally, the entire family knew about the new man in her life within hours. But it was the drive-in movie date that really sealed the deal for Lauren. Stephen suggested they bring Lauren’s dog, Onyx (major points), and he was so sweet and accommodating, even snuggling up and making friends with Onyx. Lauren’s heart? Completely melted.

Things moved fast—Stephen met Lauren’s friends, joined her sand volleyball league, and even came on her family vacation to Florida. Maybe a bit soon, but he was a trooper, even after mistakenly slapping her sister’s butt in front of the whole family, thinking it was Lauren. (A moment he definitely regrets - sorry Mr. Heusman!)

From there, things only got better. Before she knew it, Lauren was moving in with Stephen, and somehow, everyone in her life seemed to love him even more than they loved her (not that she could blame them). A few years later, with a mix of his legendary luck and some help from family and friends, Stephen managed to pull off the most epic proposal. And now, here they are—still laughing, still in love, and still calling him “Stephen,” even though his entire family calls him Steve. (Don’t worry, he’s accepted his double identity.) When Lauren first found that out, she felt like a total weirdo for being the only one using his full name. But at this point, she’s committed, and his sister now says it’s sweet because it means she gets a version of him that no one else does.

And that’s how they got here—through texts, Top Golf, a few awkward family moments, a streak of unbelievable luck, and lots of laughs. They wouldn’t change a thing.

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