It all started in April 2023, the season of blooming flowers, allergy attacks, and, apparently, algorithm-approved romance. Lauren and my love story didn’t begin with a spilled coffee in a crowded café. Nope. Like any modern fairytale, ours began on a dating app. Hinge, to be exact. Nothing says “destiny” like a swipe and a witty prompt about home renovations.

Our first date? Mini golf. The perfect romantic environment with fake windmills, lukewarm beer, questionable putting form, and the pressure of pretending you’re not competitive.

Somewhere between playful banter, surprise trick shots, and getting to know each other in between putts, something clicked. The conversation was effortless. The energy matched. And somewhere on that bright green turf, Lauren and I both managed to sink a hole-in-one—literally and figuratively.

That night wasn’t just a great date, it felt like the beginning of something special, something rare. From then on, everything just flowed. No overthinking. Simply a genuine connection. Just a relationship that felt… right. We skipped the early dating awkward stage and jumped straight into the good stuff.

Lauren became my girlfriend on April 22nd, 2023 and I got down on my knee in our kitchen on September 18th, 2024. She said yes to forever and I feel like the luckiest guy in the world.

Hyatt Regency Coralville Hotel & Conference Center