When you've been a couple as long as Matt and Siena, telling the “how we met” story becomes a choreographed dance.

It was 2018. Siena had recently graduated from college and got her first full-time job as a medical assistant in Chicago. She had never been to Chicago and didn’t know anyone there, so she took to Craigslist to find roommates. After a difficult search, she found Hana and Joanna, who were able to offer a room in Logan Square after their previous roommate agreement had fallen through.

A few months down the line, Hana invited Siena on a night out with her coworkers at the travel agency with the intention of setting her up with one of them. When they walked into Replay that night and found Matt by the bar, Siena had no idea she would be meeting her future husband. Over the course of the evening, Hana and her other coworker, Nicki, were not so subtle about playing matchmaker. Lucky for them, Matt and Siena hit it off. They spent the holidays texting and planning their first date on January 4th, 2019, at a pizza joint called the Boiler Room (RIP).

When Siena was running late on the night of their first date (due to issues with the train), Matt might have gotten a little nervous that he was being stood up. Though he teases her about it to this day, Siena eventually arrived and they had a very enjoyable night. They stayed out talking until 1 am when Matt thoughtfully walked her home in the snow to ensure she got home safe. Since then, there has rarely been a week they've gone without seeing each other.

Through travel, the pandemic, experiencing loss, career changes, starting school, and cat parenting, Matt and Siena have found loving, supportive partners in each other. As much as their relationship has grown in the past five years, they look forward to experiencing the rest of their lives together.