During their first two years at Baylor University, Emily and Josh lived at Brooks Residential College - an on campus dorm for first and second year students. However, their first conversation did not come until February of their sophomore year. At a dorm event, Emily's Maid of Honor, Kara, introduced the two and they talked the entire night. Little did either of them know, that conversation would blossom into so much more over that semester.

Josh took the brave first step and asked Emily to coffee the day they left for Spring Break. They met for coffee at Common Grounds just off of campus and spent the entire morning and into the early afternoon getting to know one another. Through Spring Break, the couple texted daily. For both of them, they knew something inevitable was going to happen. When they returned to campus, Emily and Josh decided to make things official on March 11th.

At the end of their sophomore year, Emily and Josh parted ways for quite a while. Emily spent the summer travelling across the US with the Baylor Geosciences Department while Josh returned home to Grand Rapids, Michigan. Then in the Fall semester, Emily attended a study abroad program in St. Andrews, Scotland. The couple spent nine months apart growing together despite only being able to talk virtually and with a six-hour time difference.

During the Spring semester, Josh and Emily were finally able to be with one another in person. They took good advantage of this and went on plenty of coffee dates. Also, the two started attending St. Albans together and got confirmed there that March. By the end of this semester, Josh knew that Emily was the woman he wanted to spend his life with. Over the summer of 2025, Emily visited Grand Rapids and there, on July 3rd, she said yes to Josh! Hence the wedding.