Chris and Tia first crossed paths in April 2018 at The Ram Restaurant and Brewery in Wheeling, IL. She had just joined the team as a server, while he was stepping into a new role as General Manager. Upon meeting him, she joked that it felt more like meeting Chris Evans than Chris Yarnes — a first impression that still brings a smile. It wasn’t until October of that year that their story truly began. After a long shift, Chris invited her into his office and, with charming honesty, said, “I obviously find you really attractive.” That bold moment led to their first date on October 7th, where they spent the entire day together — watching football at Westwood, playing games at GameWorks, and simply enjoying each other’s company. Ten hours flew by like minutes, and neither of them wanted the day to end. Just a few weeks later, on October 24th, Chris officially asked her to be his girlfriend. And from that moment on, they’ve been building a life full of laughter, love, and shared adventures. (Though, if you ask Chris, their anniversary will always be October 7th — because from that first date, he never had a doubt they were meant to be.)

The moment was perfectly unexpected. It was the final night of the couple’s annual family reunion in La Porte, Indiana — a tradition filled with laughter, late nights, and cherished memories. As the evening wound down around 9:30 p.m., Tia was just about ready to call it a night (she famously turns into a pumpkin after 10 p.m.). That’s when Mikie approached, casually striking up a conversation about Phoenix and whose last name he had. Before she could piece it together, Chris got down on one knee and said, “You can’t have a last name different from Phoenix and me.” With those heartfelt words, he asked her to marry him — and she said yes! As if on cue, fireworks lit up the sky shortly afterward, making a magical moment even more unforgettable.