We met on the dating app, Bumble and then the next day were matched on Coffee Meets Bagel. Brandon contacted me through Coffee Meets Bagel and I thought he didn't realize he was talking to me on Bumble... he was trying to be funny. We really started texting and getting to know each other while Brandon was at his sister, Stephanie's, wedding on September 21, 2019.

Our first date was on September 24, 2019 where we met at a Starbucks. The first thing we realized was that we both drive the same make and model of car - the 2013 Kia Soul, just different colors. The date went so well that we wound up driving over to a sushi restaurant that was way farther away than anticipated, yet somehow we both missed that there was literally a sushi restaurant next to the Starbucks. Yes, the man who won't touch fish, eats sushi, sweet potato sushi that is. The date went so long that my parents were texting me to see why I wasn't home yet.

I could not wait to see Brandon again, but he was on call at work, which meant he had to be home, so I went over to his apartment a few days later and we talked most of the night until it was time for me to go home. This is when the first Freudian Slip happened when Brandon said, "If you keep making me challah, I'll love you forever." We laughed for a good while about that and Brandon thought I was going to "nope out," but that didn't happen. That was the first of many Freudian Slips by Brandon telling me he loves me. Since we could not stay away from each other that Brandon invited me to his parents cottage in Michigan, just 2 weeks after we met. Would you believe us if we told you that we knew then that we'd be spending the rest of our lives together?!?!?

On December 29, 2019, I became an aunt to Henry and Brandon knew he became an uncle, we just couldn't say that yet.

Brandon and I were at each others houses every other day, until COVID hit when we moved in together, as we couldn't imagine anyone better to spend quarantine with. Brandon's parents were gracious enough to take Brandon's cat, Happy, as she did not get along with my dog, Addison, who also moved in with Brandon. For awhile I lived out of a massive suitcase in Brandon's room, but I did get a drawer in the bathroom.

During the week we would be at Brandon's apartment, getting to spend lots of time together since we were both working remote, and on the weekends we would go to my parents house and make foods that we rarely had time to make in the past, like ravioli, gnocchi, grustoli, jam, doughnuts, and bread.

Some time passed and we started talking about marriage. Brandon eventually asked my dad if he could marry me, and of course, he said yes. The very next day we went to get my ring. My engagement ring is the ring my great grandfather and namesake, Jack, gave to his wife; we just had to convert it back into a ring, as it had been made into a pendant.

On June 14, 2020, Brandon picked up the ring while I was at my parents house and Brandon kept asking when I was coming back to his apartment. About 5 minutes after getting there Brandon, a little too excitedly, asked to take Addison for a walk. We walked Addison for awhile and went to some new places. Of course Addison went potty and we we're carrying it with us, without a garbage can in sight. Brandon convinced me to put it by a bush... don't worry we went back and picked it up. Brandon found some pretty flowers and proposed in front of them. I immediately said yes and we had our first and only, PDA moment, that is until the wedding. I couldn't have asked for a better way to be proposed to: in nature, very private, and with my dog.

Four days later we closed on our first house together. On July 4th weekend we celebrated, socially distanced that is, with Brandon's extended family at the party for Brandon's grandpa's 90th birthday. About a week and a half later, I found my dress with my mom and future mother in law. On July 26th we got our Husky puppy Luna! We had been talking about getting Addison a friend for awhile, and that day we found Luna being sold by an Amish man in the middle of nowhere Indiana. Brandon drove 4 hours there and 4 hours back so we could have Luna, because I could not wait any longer to meet her.

We took our first vacation together on October 15th, 2020, back to Brandon's parents cottage, but this time just the two of us and the doggies. We took the dogs for a walk on the beach and both of them were scared of the waves. Luna also found the biggest stick, but she couldn't carry it. We picked 2 bushels of apples, to make apple strudel and some for eating and Brandon introduced me to antiquing; where we found lots of Christmas presents.

Since COVID was getting worse again we decided that rather than getting our hopes up and then not being able to have a reception, that we would embrace the pandemic and schedule a virtual wedding. We so wish we could celebrate with everyone and we know how much you all want to be there to celebrate in our big day, but our top priority is making sure that all of our friends and family stay safe and healthy.

V&B

Wedding Day