Patrick and Polly met, like many of their generation, in a completely serendipitous and unlikely encounter on the Hinge dating app one night. Having reviewed each other's thoughtfully curated photos and Q&A, they started chatting and soon realized that they shared at least two common interests: rock climbing, and fantasizing about moving to Chattanooga for more rock climbing. Patrick thought Polly was really cute and smart and funny, and Polly was happy to find someone who wouldn't get awkward when she climbed harder than him (among other things).

Fast forward a few dates, and Patrick and Polly were starting to fall in love. They met each others friends and were delighted to learn that loving and supportive communities were another common thread. The only problem was that Patrick was about to move to Denver for 7 months, and they had only really been dating for a month. In a leap of faith they decided to give long distance a try, and grew closer in spite of it.

When Patrick returned to Austin, he and Polly moved in together in a cute green duplex (the Avocado House) on the east side of Austin. They spent the year trying to get their cats to get along and spending time with their combined communities in Austin. They started scheming for their eventual move to Chattanooga.

In July 2024, Patrick proposed to Polly on a ridge of the continental divide in the Weminuche Wilderness in Colorado on a 4 day backpacking trip. They looked into each other's eyes and knew that this thing was forever. Just a few weeks later, they packed up all their belongings and all their cats and made the trek to Chattanooga. They've spent the last year meeting new people, exploring, and staying in touch with loved ones from all over. And doing so. much. climbing.

Thanks for reading our story! We wanted to have our wedding in Chattanooga so that our beautiful community could come and see what made us fall in love with this place. We can't wait for you to come accompany us across this threshold and into a commitment of love.