Perfect strangers and attending rival Oregon universities, Katie and Ian decided to study abroad in the fall of 2013. Katie chose to study in Macerata, Italy, and Ian chose to study in Vienna, Austria. As fate would have it, Ian's program was cancelled at the last minute and he decided to go to Italy. Katie and Ian studied and travel together along with their cohort, becoming close friends and seeing the beauty of Italy together. It wasn't until after their time in Italy was over that Ian asked Katie out for dinner. The city girl and country boy started dating in May of 2014 after a great nachos and beer date. They have been traveling, cooking, and arguing about the difference between magical realism and the fantasy genre ever since (and til death do they part). Ian proposed to Katie on a warm, sunny fall day on the lake dock of his family's cabin. The same lake dock where they decided years before to turn their friendship into a love that would become forever.