It was spring 2024 and Aeden was brand new to Cru, a Christian club on campus that Angela had been attending since freshman year. His first night there, he was invited to go on a spring break missions trip by none other than Angela! Fast forward to the trip, they were put in the same van for the twenty hour drive down to Florida. However, they barely spoke at all because they barely knew each other and Aeden was also very nervous and kept thinking to himself "there's no way this girl is single..."

Aeden and Angela started to get to know each other in Florida. Aeden definitely liked Angela but wasn't aware of it until a mutual friend Trevor asked him one night "so, what do you think about Angela?" to which Aeden's face got warm and red and he realized he did. Trevor, the ultimate wingman, confirmed that Angela was in fact single and ready to mingle. With this new information and a little more confidence, Aeden started trying to be around her more. At this point, Angela was definitely intrigued by this boy but not so sure where she stood just yet. One of her good friends on the trip had pulled her aside earlier in the week and told her Aeden was obviously interested in her but she had quickly shut it down. On the drive back from Florida, however, they did sit next to each other in the van (shoutout wingman Trevor for facilitating this).

Angela likes to think that she made the first move because she texted Aeden first. Although it was just to ask if he had gotten his new Bible that she had recommended to him, which he did. Aeden was very grateful that she did because he doesn't know when he would've been brave enough to text her himself. He just knew he wanted to keep talking to her and even started staying up late to keep texting her more. One thing led to another and Aeden built up the courage to ask Angela to hang out one on one. And eventually, with some encouragement from Angela's best friends, he asked her out on an official date, to which she said yes.

Aeden and Angela's first date was on April 9th, 2024 at Highland Park. That day, Aeden asked his professor to leave class early so he could prepare a fresh picnic for the first date of Angela's dreams. He brought a blanket and got crunchy green grapes, strawberries, and made turkey club sandwiches on Angela's favorite sourdough bread (and it was all DELICIOUS). They finished the date off with some Pittsford Dairy ice cream because Aeden had to make sure she was an ice cream girl (which she is, even though she may be lactose-intolerant). Also neither of them wanted the night to end just yet. Fast forward a couple more perfect dates later, Aeden officially asked Angela to be his girlfriend on April 26th!

Summer came round and with it long distance. Angela thought she wouldn't see Aeden for 3+ months while she was home in San Diego, but she didn't know that he had been doing some planning with her best friend Maddy's help. He had been talking to her family and had booked a flight to surprise her on her birthday! Aeden arrived on Angela's doorstep on the morning of July 4th, 2024 and it was the best birthday surprise ever! Angela was completely surprised even though her best friend Maddy had been on FaceTime just moments prior and had almost given it away. Aeden spent a week in sunny San Diego with Angela's family and they all loved him (especially her little brother Jackson).

After months of planning and collaboration with friends and family, Aeden planned the proposal of Angela's dreams on August 30th at Highland Park, the location of their first date. Both families were there including her family who had flown out to surprise her. Aeden has never been so simultaneously stressed and excited. They also said I love you for the very first time. And most importantly, she said YES!