Their journey began in October 2018 when Lauren visited Western Michigan University to celebrate her longtime friend Loran Wile’s 21st birthday. That same night, the Western Michigan hockey team was hosting a Halloween costume party, and Josh was dressed as 'Doug' from the 90’s Nickelodeon sitcom. Their worlds collided at the birthday party when Lauren was introduced to Josh by a mutual friend and teammate of his. They spent the night talking, laughing, and getting to know each other.

Over the next month, they kept in touch, and it quickly became clear that their chance meeting was the start of something special. By the end of November, Lauren and Josh began dating, with Lauren finishing her studies at Michigan State University and Josh pursuing his hockey dreams at Western Michigan. Despite the distance, they made time to see each other on weekends, and as the months passed, their bond only grew stronger. No matter where Josh’s hockey career took him, they held onto their love.

In the summer of 2023, on the sandy beaches of Lake Michigan, Josh got down on one knee and asked Lauren to be his partner for life. Now, living together in Austria, they can’t wait to celebrate their next chapter with you on their big day!