Allie was finishing up her final semester of college at Mankato State while Thomas was looking to find his way in the adult world with his first job as a copywriter for a company in the same town. They both frequented the same set of bars with their separate friend groups, but somehow still never ran into each other until Allie decided to stay the summer after she graduated . She was enjoying a drink on the patio on a beautiful mid-May evening with her friend, Heather, while he was celebrating a friendly rugby match victory with his teammates at a bar down the street. They finally encountered each other when his group met for their single “fancy beer” of the night and his group sat next to hers. After a brief interaction involving one of Thomas’ friends flirting with both Allie and Heather, he made a beer recommendation and discovered he had played college rugby with Heather’s older brother at Luther College. Now it is up for debate on who followed who around for the remainder of the night, but regardless, the two of them became virtually inseparable. At the end of the Summer, they had both already said I love you to each other and Allie had taken a job in Rochester and moved in with Thomas, while she “looked for an apartment”. It did take a little while before she stopped keeping her belongings in a series of duffle bags and laundry hampers and put a few clothes into the closet space he had set aside. They both claim their first real home as a couple was the loft in Des Moines they moved to. Somehow on that hot day, the cross-state trip did not involve a single person dying of heat exhaustion. This phase in life was also when they adopted two little fur babies named Malcolm and Maverick. Adopting two puppies at the same time may have been the most challenging thing each of them had ever encountered, but they got through the potty training somehow (and not without an immense amount of cleaning supplies) and wouldn’t have it any other way. Ever since they have revolved their brewery trips, vacations, and just about anything else in their lives around bringing the boys.

After moving back to the Minnesota two years later, Thomas was working in New York City on a project. He sent Allie a text asking her if she wanted anything from the numerous designer stores, he walked by while in Manhattan. “A ring and a baby” was her reply and although he definitely wasn’t ready for both, while eating Tapas he ordered a ring and set a plan in motion. Shortly after he returned, Allie, Thomas, Maverick, and Malcolm met at a park to take “Christmas Card Photos.” After a few shots and poses, the photographer asked them to stand back-to-back looking away from each other and then stand a little farther apart facing opposite directions. She then asked Allie to turn around and Thomas was on one knee with what he hoped would be the ring of her dreams. With the mix of nervous excitement, he didn’t have many words but barely made out “Will you marry me?” “Does this mean you love me a lot, or a little” she asked between nervous giggles. “A lot” he said. She replied with an excited YES! Between hardships and triumphs they’ve shared together, neither of them saw any other outcome but to spend the rest of their lives together; and we’re both so happy for you to join us in making that a beautiful reality.