We met in the beginning of Summer 2016 at our friends backyard bonfire gathering (with some of our closest friends still today). We ended up sitting next to each other around the fire while Connor roasted Starburst candy (yes, on a roasting stick). We didn’t really start talking until Carissa kept sneaking the Starburst off Connor’s stick, and from there we spent the rest of the night laughing, talking, and playing games with everyone. Before we left, we exchanged Snapchats—because in 2016, that was the primary form of communication. We kept talking that same weekend, even while Carissa was at freshman orientation at Washington State University (Go Cougs!). Over the next few weeks, we talked nonstop, hung out constantly, and before long Connor asked Carissa to be his girlfriend. That whole summer was full of fun memories and shared adventures. But as August got closer, things got a little harder. Carissa was preparing to leave for college, five hours away from Connor’s campus at the University of Washington (boooo Huskies). We knew long distance would be tough, and it felt like a huge commitment for the next four years of college—spoiler alert: it turned into six years. After some soul searching, we realized we loved each other too much to let distance be the reason we didn’t try. So we decided to stay together. On the morning Carissa left for college, we watched the sunrise together to make one last summer memory, then said our goodbyes before starting our fall semesters. After six years of endless FaceTime calls, Connor’s midnight drives to Pullman, and more tearful goodbyes than we can count—we are so excited to commit to a lifetime together! From the first goodbye in August 2016 to saying yes to forever in August 2026… These two kids are finally getting married!!!