Chris and Danielle's first date was at a cozy pizzeria on a cold fall evening in Fort Collins. They immediately hit it off by talking about the Drake equation, the Fermi paradox, and many other nerdy subjects that formed the foundation of their relationship. They both knew they had found something special, though Chris was upset that the waitress charged him an extra dollar but they couldn't have predicted that six years later they would be planning to get married.

Chris was careful in planning his proposal. Danielle was already suspicious, and he had been nervously hiding the ring for months. He planned a romantic door county hike, and they hiked five miles to a bluff overlooking the bay. On the way they saw turkey, deer, and a variety of birds that Gozer was interested in eating. When they got to the bluff, they sat and watched the sail boats and kayaks go by as the sun began to set. At the perfect moment, Chris distracted Danielle by asking her to check Gozer's paw for thorns. When she turned back around, he was down on one knee, holding the ring.