Chris and Lydia met in the fall of 2014 after moving on to the same floor of a college dorm at the University of Iowa. Chris happened to be in the right place at the right time to cross paths with Lydia after being given a Scratch cupcake by other floor members to keep for himself if Chris could ensure their friend got the cupcake they left outside his door. While waiting to complete this task, Lydia and her friends walked up and asked what he was doing. Despite the very strange and random explanation, Chris and Lydia quickly became friends and shortly thereafter started dating. Over the following six years, Chris and Lydia shared many adventures including vacations, three college graduations, a year of long distance dating after Chris moved to Milwaukee to pursue his Master's degree, lived in three apartments together and adopted a dog, Toby.

In August 2020, they planned a trip to Iowa City, where the couple first met. Little did Lydia know, Chris was planning a surprise. Enlisting the help of a few friends and some family, Chris coordinated Lydia's friends to distract her by walking through campus while Chris, who had pretended to be too sick to go with, was able to get to the river terrace of the Memorial Union where both Lydia and Chris's parents were secretly waiting. When the time came, Lydia's friends led her to the river where Chris was waiting. Lydia arrived and saw Chris from afar. Her friends stayed back, as Lydia walked up and asked Chris what he was doing. Holding a Scratch cupcake box, Chris recreated how they first met but instead of a cupcake, he revealed a ring and got down on one knee and asked for her hand in marriage. The couple is now excitedly awaiting a lifetime of creating new memories.

Chris and Lydia look forward to you joining them on October 23, 2021 to celebrate this journey with them.