Ryan and Mary were both active in their communities, volunteering for their towns' local fire departments. Many people on the local fire departments became friends, and it is through mutual friends that Mary and Ryan met at a bonfire. The two frequented many of the same events and would talk there. Over time they became friends. Finally, after bumping into each other every now and then at gatherings, Ryan asked Mary on a date!

Ryan and Mary spent the summer of 2013 together nearly every day. They enjoyed attending concerts, spending days on the lake, and getting dinner together. In the fall Mary returned to New York for school. Ryan and Mary called each other every night and they would talk for an hour. Ryan even traveled to New York each week so the two could spend a day together. The following semester Ryan began attending classes in New York as well, right down the road. While Mary worked on her Biology degree, Ryan was working diligently on his Criminal Justice degree. The two, yet again, spent each day with each other. They worked together on homework and explored all that the Albany area had to offer.

Mary and Ryan love traveling and adventure, so in July of 2014 the two set out on their biggest adventure yet. Together they packed their bags, loaded a u-haul trailer, and drove across the country to their new home in Colorado. For one year they lived in a cozy apartment in Broomfield, Colorado. They both attended school for business while working full time. Ryan works for a small family owned towing company. He is a star employee who has worked diligently to help grow the company. He was even rated the second best customer service representative in Colorado for AAA. Mary worked for a restaurant for a month before getting a job as a receptionist at a private dental office. She instantly fell in love with the dental industry and knew that she would extend her studies by applying to dental school after receiveing her undergrad.

After a year in the apartments, Ryan and Mary knew that they were meant to stay in Colorado. They moved into a house in a small farming town named Erie, just down the road. Soon after they were settled in, they decided it was time to grow their family by four paws. In October of 2015 they welcomed their golden retriever, Ruger, into the family. Together, Ryan and Mary worked on some minor home renovations as well as continuing their schooling and careers.

Over the summer Mary and Ryan spent a lot of time exploring all that the beautiful Colorado mountains had to offer for hiking. A couple of their favorite hikes were the Flatirons in Boulder and North Table Mountain in Golden. The two never missed a weekend in the beautiful Colorado nature.

One beautiful February weekend, Mary and Ryan were planning on taking Ruger for his first ever hike. Ryan had to work on Saturday so they were planning on going on Sunday. However, Ryan came home early from work on Saturday and asked Mary if she would like to go on the hike that day. It was gorgeous outside and Mary was so excited to take Ruger for his first hike so she said yes.

On the way out the door Ryan grabbed the last beer left in the fridge, a Bud Lite. While Ryan hadn't packed beer for a hike before, Mary didn't think much of it. They headed into Golden to North Table Mountain. Mary noticed that Ryan seemed to be in a particularly good mood, but again didn't think much of it. She did notice, however, that he seemed to sprint up the mountain much quicker than usual, as she was not able to stop and catch her breath as much ;) Once they reached the plateau, Ryan told Mary that he wanted to go to the area that overlooked the Coors Brewery. There were several mountain climbers climbing up the sides of the mountain. Mary and Ryan found a secluded area that overlooked Golden. Mary took the moment to catch her breath and look at all the pictures that she took on the way up.

What Mary didn't notice was that Ryan had reached in to his bag and pulled out a ring. Ryan told Mary how much he loved her and then asked her to marry him. At first Mary didn't hear him. Once he asked again, she thought he was playing with her. Finally, she looked up and saw that he was on one knee. Once Mary realized what was happening, she instantly said yes! Ruger also saw the gorgeous ring that Ryan picked out and thought that it looked like a delicious treat. While Ryan and Mary celebrated with a kiss, Ruger almost ate the ring!

Ryan broke out the celebratory Bud Lite, which now made much more sense to Mary. The two spent a moment soaking everything in. They overlooked the gorgeous view of Golden. They even got to see some mountain climbers poke their heads over the cliff. They headed back down the mountain to home. That night, the two went to dinner at the Capital Grille to celebrate.

With less than 100 days until the wedding, Ryan and Mary are keeping busy! Not only are they getting married in June, but Ryan is also graduating with his bachelor's degree in Business Marketing in May. Mary is keeping busy with her schooling as well. She switched her major to Early Childhood Education and has loved investing herself in her classes and her field experience. She spends two days a week volunteering at an urban after-school program in Denver, working with 3rd through 5th graders. This experience has really opened her eyes and heart to her passion for teaching.

Despite their busy work and school schedules, the two have also made time to enjoy life together. Over the summer the two enjoy hiking with Ruger and the second addition to their fur family, Riley. They also love entertaining, constantly inviting friends over for cookouts and fires. They also keep busy on the slopes of the lovely Colorado mountains in the winter. Most of all, they can't wait to celebrate their big day with their family and friends in June!