Our story started with a cup of chai. One day at our college coffee shop, the barista handed Riley the leftover chai from Ali’s drink as a free sample. Riley took it like a shot, which made the barista laugh and joke about how natural he seemed at it. Ali looked over, laughed too…and then walked away. A few days later, when Ali’s usual lunch crew was away at a cross-country meet, she spotted Riley sitting with someone she kind of knew and asked if she could join. Before her friend could answer, Riley jumped in and said yes. That lunch turned into dinner, and, honestly, the rest is history. Ali says she was first drawn to Riley’s laugh, his smile, and that cocky way he always had to be right about everything (which she took as a challenge). But the more she got to know him, the more she saw his sweetness, kindness, faithfulness, and most importantly, his deep love for Christ. Riley says he was drawn to Ali because her energy was infectious — there was just something about her that he realized he needed after talking to her. And as time went on, it became clear that her selflessness set her apart from anyone he had ever met. One of our funniest milestones happened early on. After a kiss, Ali accidentally blurted out, “I love you.” We weren’t even officially dating yet, and she immediately tried to pretend it hadn’t happened when Riley asked what she said. (Spoiler: he definitely heard her.) Fast forward to Milford, Ohio — a small town we stumbled upon during our very first road trip. We quickly fell in love with the place and have gone back many times for ice cream, chocolates, and Alfredo. It’s become “our spot.” On one of those trips, after enjoying our favorites, we walked under the picnic shelter…and that’s where Riley proposed. Together, we've always just clicked. We can “read” each other, pull each other out of bad moods, and laugh over our own silly shorthand language (which sometimes confuses us until one of us finally figures it out). What began with a cup of chai has turned into a life filled with laughter, faith, and love. And now, we can’t wait to celebrate the next chapter of our story with all of you.