Isabella and Ben met at a party with mutual friends their first year at the University of Texas. Despite how this story typically goes, it was not love at first sight. Ben callously pushed past Isabella for another beer, and she derisively labeled him a frat boy. The two would continue to mingle, though. Isabella appreciated that Ben knew who Bon Iver was; Ben appreciated that Isabella was a model student. Soon, they found in each other a close friend —studying together in the Perry Castaneda library, eating together at Jendy's, and learning what made the other tick. By the end of Sophomore year, they were attending parties as a couple. After college, Ben and Isabella weathered many storms in the five years they've lived together —from the COVID pandemic to the Ice Storm of 2021. They hunkered down and built a life together in South Austin. They've learned how to raise the perfect cat, cook breakfast for one another, and grow a garden. Most importantly, they've learned how to grow alongside one another and raise each other up. Ben decided he couldn't live without Isabella's love and support. He proposed to her on December 18th, 2024, under the trees in the little park they always walked in over the years. Ben and Isabella look forward to celebrating their love with their friends and family on November 22, 2025.