It all started on Memorial Day 2017 at the One Light Apartment Pool in Kansas City, Missouri, when Michelle, a University of Michigan Alumna, and Anthony, a Wisconsin native, briefly met and engaged in flirty trash-talk about their rival sports teams. This friendly rivalry developed as they occasionaly ran into each other in KC. In summer 2018, at the same pool, Michelle met the Behrendt family and they immediately hit it off. That September, Anthony asked Michelle to go on their first dinner date on his birthday and after a few conversations they knew this was no ordinary connection.

Although Michelle was planning to move to Binghamton, NY, for a job in October, they decided to make their relationship a top priority, no matter how much distance was between them. In October 2018, Anthony asked Michelle to be his girlfriend on her birthday. They bonded over their love of sports, traveling, going to the beach/lake, music, playing golf, and their shared values of faith and spending time with family and friends. In early 2019, Anthony moved to Upstate New York with Michelle where they enjoyed hiking, a record-breaking snowstorm, visiting NYC, and meeting lifelong friends.

In 2020, Anthonys job moved him to Tampa, FL, where they both hope to build their dream home and family together one day. In 2021, Michelle moved to Tallahassee, Florida, so she could be closer to Anthony. During their long-distance relationship, they’ve enjoyed experiencing new cities together and visiting their families at Wood Lake in Wisconsin and Ocean City, Maryland.

On Thanksgiving 2023, Anthony proposed to Michelle on the Ocean City Boardwalk. The Behrendts and Roberts were in on the surprise, capturing the moment from a hotel above and ready to celebrate with an after-party. It meant the world to Michelle’s Mom, Kathy, that she was able to see her youngest daughter get engaged a week before she passed away from cancer. As we will always miss her, she will be there with us in spirit at the wedding and guiding us throughout our lives.

The Behrendts and Roberts have felt like family since Day 1 so it’s about time we make this official! We are looking forward to uniting all of our favorite people for a weekend full of love and fun! We can’t wait to see you soon at the beach!