Abbi and Kaitlyn's love story starts as all modern ones do - via a dating app. And they say romance is dead! Over 6 years ago, on a cold winter day, Kaitlyn slid into Abbi's DMs with an intoxicating "hi there." Abbi, never one to pass up the opportunity to talk, promptly responded and the rest is history! Or, at least, that's the end of their prologue. Despite having a bit of an age gap (which certainly kept Abbi at a wary distance in the beginning), they couldn't resist the joy they felt every time they spent time together. While initially connecting over common interests, it didn't take long to realize each partner held a piece of what the other person was looking for. They say opposites attract; Abbi and Kaitlyn believe similarities attract, and opposites bring much needed growth. To learn and grow from one another has been one of the greatest joys in their relationship. For the first 3 years of their relationship, Kaitlyn and Abbi did long-distance while Kaitlyn finished her photography degree at the University of Iowa. This meant they could only see each other for a weekend or so a month, so they substituted with long evenings on Facetime, watching shows together and falling asleep to the sound of each other breathing. Since their time was so limited, every minute together felt magical, and the excitement they felt finally seeing each other is a feeling that still manifests today when one of them arrives home from work. It created a sense of gratitude and appreciation for every moment they get to spend together, something they'll never take for granted. After Kaitlyn graduated, they were finally able to have a "normal" relationship! Kaitlyn moved in with Abbi, and the next 3 years were filled with vacations, time with friends, moving (they finally rented a house in 2024!), and enjoying all that life has to offer. But their favorite thing to do is simply exist next to each other, usually while Kaitlyn watches a documentary and Abbi works on a puzzle. Whether it's running errands, working on projects, or just laying in bed, they don't really care what they're doing as long as they can do it together! At the end of the day, Kaitlyn and Abbi have found in each other both a sense of wholeness and an inspiration for growth. Abbi often says Kaitlyn "makes her soft" while Kaitlyn likes to say Abbi "makes her strong." Over the past 6 years they've changed and grown tremendously, but they were fortunate to do it in the same direction, side by side. They can't wait to take on marriage together, and they are so grateful that you've not only read this far in their lengthy love story, but have been a source of love and support for them over the years. They look forward to celebrating with everyone on October 3rd!