In the beginning of Summer of 2023, Mark was living in Colorado and Emily was just starting out in her nursing career in Iowa City. Then, Mark took a new job at Collins Aerospace moving him back to Iowa. What started as a quick trip to visit friends on his drive back to Iowa, turned out to be the start of a new beginning. While visiting friends in Kansas, Mark was convinced to buy Tinder Gold and start swiping in his soon to be new hometown. This is how Mark met Emily and the conversation started before he even stepped foot back in Iowa.

From Emily's perspective it took Mark too long to ask for her number and set up a date, but in just a week after moving to Iowa they went on their first date at the Pedalers Fork. Both Mark and Emily were very shy when they got to their first date and honestly the Pedalers Fork may have been a bit too busy and loud to have a first date. From dinner they went to get ice cream as neither wanted the night to end.

That first date sparked a great relationship and the two drove 40 minutes one way to come visit each other. Fitting in as many dates as they could between two busy summer schedules and a crazy night shift nurse schedule, Mark and Emily's love began to grow. One night in August, Mark finally asked Emily to officially be his girlfriend (although he thought it was obvious that she already was). Weekends were frequently spent at each other's apartments and the long drive back and forth became the norm.

Mark got to meet the whole Bierman family for Thanksgiving, the first holiday that the two spent together. He quickly learned that they were a welcoming bunch and had enough food to feed a small army. Then while Mark spent time with his family in Tennessee for Christmas, he offered to fly Emily there after her work shift was over to meet his family. Mark will state that his mom loved Emily before she even met her and it was a great trip being able to meet the family.

The next few months flew by and in May the two decided to rent a house together and move in! Here they were able to really grow their love and spend so many precious moments together. Being there after a bad day at eithers work or just being goofballs and enjoying reality TV together. The two made the house their new home and continued to share countless memories.

As part of an annual tradition that the Bierman family has, they go to Wisconsin for the Apple festival every year at the end of September. With permission from her parents, Mark decided this was the venue for his proposal. What Emily didn't know that day was that everyone besides her knew that Mark was going to propose. On September 28th, 2024, Mark asked Emily to be his wife. Surrounded by the love from all the family, the two were able to share a precious moment together.