Aley and Zach first matched on a Christian dating app called Upward. (Aley only joined the app because her friends agreed to join it with her!) Zach first messaged Aley on March 3rd, 2022, and she did not message him back until March 10th. (He likes to bring up these 7 days of silence often). After they started talking, they immediately hit it off! They talked about everything from favorite books to deep theological ideas before they even met. They quickly discovered that they both had mutual friends, had lived at GCU for some of the same years, and even both had family in Lake Havasu City, even though they had never crossed paths before. They knew, even from the first date, that there was something different about each other and the way that they just "clicked." They became an official couple on April 24th, 2022, and fell in love very quickly. (Zach even said "I love you" three weeks into dating!) Zach's family invited Aley to join them on a family vacation to Maui over fall break and Zach proposed to Aley on the beach at sunset on October 14th, 2022. It was the proposal of Aley's dreams. Zach found a secluded beach on their last night in Hawaii and had her join him at the water's edge. He handed her a message in a bottle which he asked her to read aloud. In it, he expressed his love for Aley and his commitment to love her like Christ loved the church. After reading the letter, Zach got down on one knee (right as a wave washed over his legs!) and popped the question. She said yes! They are so excited to begin their new life together!!! They (and their families) have been praying for each other for their entire lives, and it is clear to see that it is God alone who has orchestrated everything from the very beginning. We are so thankful for each one of you and can't wait to have you join us in celebrating our special day together!