James and Aisling first became friends online, bonding over a love of sports and music and soon learning they had so much more in common. In October of 2019, Aisling and several other friends from around the country met up to see a hockey game together in Chicago—where James was living at the time. When the two finally met in person, sparks flew instantly, and James and Aisling began dating within weeks of that very first meeting. Long distance over two thousand miles and a time zone was tough, but that didn't stop them from regularly visiting each other. In early 2020, both Aisling and James moved back to their East Coast hometowns in Virginia and New Jersey due to the pandemic. When travel restrictions finally eased over the summer, the couple were once again able to see each other, trading off on who would make that four-hour drive up (or down) I-95. Aisling learned to love boating on Lake Hopatcong in New Jersey, and James learned to love being pounced on by the Hagerups' dog Murphy, still a puppy at the time. That fall, James and Aisling decided to ditch the whole "long distance" thing and move in together. On the weekend of the move, James proposed! Living together after being so far apart was an absolute joy. In the spring of 2021, the couple moved to their current apartment in Plainsboro, NJ, and adopted their beloved cat Bigfoot. On June 26th, 2021, James and Aisling legally tied the knot in front of their parents and siblings, just before Aisling's 26th birthday. Over the winter, the couple finally began to plan the wedding they dreamed of. They've been waiting a long time to officially celebrate with all of their friends, family and loved ones and have all of their favorite people witness a love that withstood five jobs, four states, three time zones, two coasts, and one global catastrophe.