Matt and I met during my very first week of college. He was a year ahead of me and working as an orientation leader for a group that wasn’t even mine. Our “first interaction” depends on who you ask. He’ll say it was when we first spoke. I’ll say it was the moment I first saw him — standing on a chair (as if 6'2" wasn’t tall enough), leading a chant for his overly enthusiastic group like he was in the opening scene of a romcom.

A girl in my group leaned over and said, “That’s Matt Kodrowski. He went to my school and he doesn’t get any quieter.” As an anxious and much more introverted freshman, I remember thinking, “We probably aren’t going to get along.” The enemies-to-lovers plot lasted less than a week.

The first time we actually talked was a few days later on the steps of Wallace Hall. From that moment on, Matt's romcom energy seemed to follow him wherever he went. He had this way of lighting up every space, like a human shot of espresso. The night ended with the most flirtatious church invitation I have ever experienced. At the time I wasn’t interested in dating, especially not someone with a patchy beard.

Still, no matter where I went, Matt somehow appeared. I half-joked that he was stalking me, but the truth is he always seemed to be there right when I needed him. He carried my favorite gum. He threw pebbles at my second-floor window and yelled, “Rapunzel, let down your hair,” just so I could come downstairs and use his printer. He became my best friend before I even realized it.

Over time, I got to know a side of Matt that wasn’t just the loudest, goofiest person in the room. I saw his depth, his kindness, and the way he made people feel seen. And eventually, I let him in on the fact that I might be weird too.

He was patient while I figured out how I felt. He never pressured me, but he never hid how he felt either.

A year later, I finally said yes to a date. We’ve been inseparable ever since.

Dating in college wasn’t glamorous. It looked like Taco Bell runs, studying for exams, and laughing until we forgot what we were even talking about. But neither of us ever minded. It was real and it was ours.

After almost three years of dating and four years of friendship, Matt proposed at one of our favorite date spots. Now we’re here, writing the next chapter of our story — the one that includes our wedding day and the rest of our lives.

Our wedding is just the next episode of our romcom, and it’s going to be a good one. We can’t wait for you to be part of it.

M&S

Wedding Day

4:00 PM–4:30 PM

Ceremony

4:30 PM–6:00 PM

Cocktail Hour

6:00 PM–10:00 PM

Reception