Some love stories take years to begin. Ours started with a single swipe — and two people who almost didn’t show up.We met on November 11, 2023, after matching on Hinge (yes, we know… very modern of us). After talking for a few weeks and realizing we genuinely enjoyed each other, we planned our first date at Topgolf. Leah almost cancelled — she was tired of dating and not expecting anything real — and Mac was running 45 minutes late because of a car accident and almost turned around entirely. Somehow, despite both of us nearly backing out, we ended up exactly where we were supposed to be.Leah was sitting at the bar when Mac walked in, and from that moment on, something just felt right. We started playing golf and quickly realized neither of us really knew what we were doing. At one point, the waiter had to come over and show us how to swing the clubs. Mac eventually got the hang of it, while Leah still proudly claims she has not improved much since that day. Mac won by a landslide — and still had the best time just being there together.When the game ended, neither of us wanted the night to be over. We sat and talked for hours about life, our dreams, our tattoos, and everything in between. It didn’t feel like a first date. It felt like we had known each other forever. By the time Topgolf was closing, we still weren’t ready to say goodbye. Leah invited Mac back to the house where her roommates were having a fire, and without realizing it, that night became the beginning of everything.On the way home, Leah called her maid of honor and said she was pretty sure she had just met her future husband — bold, but accurate. When we walked into the house, Kobie — Leah’s dog and future ring bearer — immediately ran to Mac and melted into his arms like he had known him his whole life. That moment felt like silent approval from the one opinion that mattered most. We spent the rest of the night by the fire laughing with friends, and before the night ended, Mac asked if he could hold Leah’s hand. She said yes — and we’ve been holding hands through life together ever since.From that point forward, everything fell into place in a way that felt almost effortless. We met each other’s families, friends, and coworkers, and it all felt natural. Leah met Nala, Mac’s cat, who instantly loved her. When Nala and Kobie met, they loved each other just as quickly — which felt like the universe confirming we had found exactly where we belonged.Three months later, in New York City outside a Dunkin’ Donuts near the Empire State Building, Mac told Leah he loved her for the first time. Leah was exhausted, emotional, running on coffee and tater tots, and completely caught off guard — but through happy tears she said, “I love you too.” It wasn’t a grand cinematic moment, but somehow it was even better. It was real, it was us, and from that day on we both knew this was forever.Since the beginning, we’ve built a relationship rooted in friendship, laughter, and a kind of love that makes both of us better people. Mac has never let Leah plan a single date, brings her flowers every month on the 11th, and loves her in the kind of intentional, over-the-top way she always believed existed. Leah has given Mac something just as meaningful — a love that makes him feel accepted, understood, and truly at home in who he is. Together, we’ve created a relationship where we feel safe, supported, and completely ourselves. We don’t just love each other — we bring out the best in one another.On May 25, 2025, that love led to the most perfect surprise proposal. Leah thought she was helping plan her dad’s 60th birthday party, but in reality, our family and closest friends were secretly gathering for our engagement. As part of the surprise, one of Leah’s favorite Harry Potter actors — one of the Weasley twins — appeared in a special video to help ask the biggest question of our lives. Completely shocked and overwhelmed, Leah cried immediately as Mac got down on one knee and asked her to marry him. Surrounded by the people we love most, she said yes to forever.We’ve built a life together full of laughter, support, loyalty, and a love that feels both exciting and steady at the same time. We balance each other perfectly — emotional and organized, stubborn and romantic, always laughing, always showing up for one another. More than anything, we’ve found a best friend, a safe place, and a partner for life in each other.There’s one thing we say to each other every day — the same words engraved inside Leah’s ring:“I love you, forever and always.”To us, that means on the best days and the hardest ones, no matter what life brings, we stand side by side. If the world ever turned against us tomorrow, we’d face it together — one with a shield, the other with a sword.What started as one simple date has turned into a love we’re endlessly proud of and grateful for. We truly feel like the luckiest two people in the world to have found one another.We cannot wait to get married and celebrate the beginning of forever — with all of you right there beside us.