We first met on a work trip to Poland. It began as a casual twelve hour drive consisting of sunflower seeds, knitting, snacks, and hitting traffic barriers. During the trip, we became quick friends as we bonded over Polish food, our shared interest of the work we were doing, and easy conversation. The trip as a whole ended up being the start of a beautiful friendship, but little did we know it was also the beginning of something even more special.

While the people around us watched with knowing smirks, we were busy building our friendship and in full denial that it could be anything more. After a year of being best friends, we finally admitted what everyone else had apparently figured out on day one: that maybe there was something more between us. Eventually we caught up, compared notes, and decided to give it a real shot. On Friday the 13th (spooky, we know) we met up at our favorite pub, Blarney Stone, and officially started dating. Contrary to the superstition, that turned out to be a very lucky day for us.

After nine months of long distance, we were fortunate enough to spend the holidays together in Germany. A few days after Christmas, we decided to sneak away on a little adventure to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, just the two of us and Copper. We wanted a few quiet days to ourselves, surrounded by the German Alps. One morning, we woke up before the sun and bundled up for a hike around Eibsee Lake to catch the sunrise over the mountains. It was early and freezing cold, but that also meant the trail was almost completely empty. Along the snowy path, we stopped to take a family picture. It was just us in that moment; no crowds, no noise, and that’s where we got engaged. It was simple, intimate, and perfect. Standing together in such a beautiful place, it felt like time paused just long enough to take it all in. It’s a day we'll never forget.

And that brings us to now, our next chapter: getting married. It’s still amazing to look back and think about how much has happened in just over three years. We've made memories, traveled to many new places, and weathered more than a year of long distance. We’ve had many FaceTime dates, counted down the days until our next visit, and finally got to experience the joy of building a home under the same roof. Now, as January 31st approaches, everything feels full circle. The excitement is building, things are coming together, and we’re getting closer to the moment we’ve been looking forward to for so long. We can’t wait to celebrate our wedding surrounded by our favorite people, and to step into the beginning of the rest of our lives together.