Despite both growing up in Tennessee, Alex and Stevie’s journey began in the vibrant midwestern city of Chicago. Alex, a graduate of The University of Chicago, started his career in investment banking, while Stevie, a University of Tennessee alumna, moved to Chicago from Knoxville in September 2019 for a new adventure. Although Stevie knew only a few people in Chicago, she was excited to make more friends and live in a city she used to dream of living in!

In March 2020, her coworker Carly Mayrose invited her to a free happy hour promoting a local business. That evening, Stevie was also planning to meet Nicholas Heim, his sister Maddie, her now-husband Ryan Deveikis, and Alex for dinner. Seizing the opportunity, Stevie invited Nicholas and Maddie to join her at the happy hour, hoping Nicholas would extend the invite to Alex. Stevie knew of Alex through Nicholas and always thought he was cute, so she was excited that she was finally getting to meet him! Alex accepted the invitation to join everyone, and it was at this gathering that their love story began.

Their next encounter was on St. Patrick’s Day, just before Chicago went into lockdown due to COVID-19. During quarantine, Alex and Stevie’s relationship deepened, and they cherished the time spent together. Their timing of meeting was perfect! They made their relationship official in May of 2020.

Fast forward two years, and Alex and Stevie were settling into their first apartment in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood. They loved their new home and the process of making it their own. However, three months later Alex received a job offer that required them to move to Newport Beach, CA. In November 2022, they embarked on another adventure, this time across the country!

California living quickly became a favorite lifestyle for Alex and Stevie, with frequent trips to the beach, Lake Tahoe, Catalina Island, Mammoth Lakes, Big Bear, and San Francisco.

In November 2023, while Stevie was in LA for a work trip, she invited Alex to join her so they could meet up with his sister Courtney and her boyfriend Brian Murphy. Though they had often talked about visiting Santa Barbara, they never seemed to find the time. But they thought now could be the opportunity since they were halfway there. Unbeknownst to Stevie, Alex had already picked up her engagement ring and booked a hotel in Santa Barbara. He suggested they spend the weekend there alone, despite Stevie’s attempt to include Courtney and Brian for a couples trip.

They drove up to Santa Barbara, enjoying a delightful evening at San Ysidro Ranch. The next day, Alex suggested a day filled with their favorite activities: coffee, hiking, wine tasting, and a sunset view. Stevie, thinking it was a typical day out, eagerly agreed. They hiked Cool Spring Loop, enjoyed wine at Deep Sea Wine Tasting, and headed to the beach just in time for sunset. As they were taking some photos, Alex got down on one knee and proposed, making the moment unforgettable.

Alex and Stevie are choosing to marry in Santa Barbara to share the beauty of the place where they pledged their lives to each other. The date, July 12, holds special significance as it marks the anniversary of Stevie’s Nana, Flora Turski Bassett, and her grandfather, Stefan Turski’s wedding at St. Andrews Cathedral in Dundee, Scotland, on July 12, 1945. July 12, 2025, would have been their 80th wedding anniversary.