Stella and Joe first met in Minneapolis in April of 2015. Neither thought they would find love at General Mills but alas, G-Harmony struck again. Although their first introduction at work was a memorable one, their friendship did not build until later that winter when both joined the same volleyball team.

Fast forward to the Summer of 2017 when they started dating. After a string of party buses, breweries, and birthday bashes, they realized that enjoying life in Minneapolis together was pretty great. This is where they began to notice and appreciate their many similarities, especially with regards to family, friends and future.

That future became more apparent after an especially exciting 4th of July weekend at the lake. Stella was meeting the parents for the first time and had the challenge of doing so in the company of ~12 (it felt like 25 at the time) of his other friends that she also hadn’t met. Toss in a brother and an aunt and you have yourself a grade-A familial exam. To no surprise, Stella handled the chaos swimmingly and made an immediate impression on the family.

Joe had a different kind of test when meeting Stella’s parents for the first time. The stage was Korean BBQ and the test was eat-till-you-can’t. If you’ve seen Joe eat when he’s hungry (or after a few beverages), you’d know that he passed with flying colors. Eating well is very important to Korean parents but what stood out most to them was Joe's genuine interest and care for their daughter. After this meeting, Stella knew this relationship was different because her mom actually started asking about marriage...which has never happened before in her life!

What feels like yesterday, the last two years have been an incredible journey getting to know one another and their loved ones.

“Joe, look at the camera!” Stella said angrily as he pulled out a gum packet and ruined their self-timed photo. They had just hiked a mile up a series of waterfalls and rivers, leading to the base of another where the sun was just starting to shine and there was no one in sight. Perfect picture opportunity down the drain, Stella thought. Her disappointment quickly turned to shock as Joe got down on one knee and pulled a ring out of the gum packet. The rest was history.

This took place in September of 2018 when Joe and Stella went to Iceland on their first International trip together. They had the time of their lives making a loop around the country, stopping to see the endless scenic marvels and even catching a glimpse of the northern lights.

It was mid-trip by the time Joe proposed, which apparently drove his family crazy as they waited for ‘the call’. He knew he was going to do so on the trip but just didn’t know when and where.

After (fortunately) misreading a “no crossing” sign and leaving the other tourists far behind, Joe realized that there wouldn’t be a better opportunity than the secluded base of a waterfall. He managed to keep his gum packet dry and only kind of screwed up the timed picture. As he got down on one knee, he was thrilled as her look of shock turned into tears of joy as she said “YES”, overwhelmed by the surprise.

Stella and Joe are excited to spend the rest of their lives together and cannot wait to share this celebration with their closest friends and family this coming August!