In August of 2024, I took Macy and a friend out to dinner in Scottsdale, and although we both love Paige, there was a moment about 45 minutes into dinner when I wished it was just the two of us. I had a feeling she was trying to flirt with me but didn’t want to be too presumptive. I called my sister (her roommate at the time) and asked if Macy might be interested in me. “No, don’t read into it, Macy just comes off as flirty” she said—but the thought of her lingered in my mind… Come January, I was in DC for my sister’s engagement and started talking to that Macy girl again. Something was different. Honestly, I remember very little else from that weekend other than starting to fall for the love of my life. Two weeks later, when Gwen came out to visit me, I asked her if she could very discreetly see if Macy might be interested in me. (I would later find out that she was, in fact, not at all discreet) I texted her some stupid thing about something I saw in the news a couple of weeks prior, obviously just trying to talk to her. I asked her out on the phone for our first zoom date in March and occasional dates quickly became less occasional, and soon enough it felt odd to talk less than daily. As we grew closer, I was amazed by Macy’s character, her love for the Lord and our deep alignment on our desires for the future. In May I told my best man Joe I was going to marry her, and I guess I kept my word on that one. After 20+ cross country flights, countless late (for her) nights on the phone, a significant investment in the share price of DoorDash and one engagement ring, I’m so excited to be marrying the woman of my dreams.

I first met Ian in the summer of 2022 while interning with his sister, Gwen. She and I were soul sisters from the start, but Ian was off the table at the time. Gwen and I remained close friends and ended up living together again in D.C. when we both graduated. Fast forward to the summer of 2024, I coordinated a cross-country bus tour that included a stop in Phoenix, where Gwen insisted my friend Paige and I see Ian. So, the three of us went to dinner and I was swooning. I thought, “Man, Gwen’s brother is handsome, such a gentleman, and loves God so much. I didn’t know guys like him existed!” I also want it on the record, he was totally flirting with me. I texted my friends right after, confessing I had a crush, but I would die before telling Gwen. So, I went back to D.C. with nothing but raised standards. A few months later, Ian called again to tell me he was in town to surprise Gwen (I would later find out for her engagement). That weekend we almost started a house fire with the amount of SPARKS FLYING. I don’t think we were subtle at all. In a room full of dozens of friends, I could only be found chatting it up with Ian. It was back to normal life again until a few weeks later when I was sitting in the kitchen and Gwen about knocked me off the stool with a question: “So like, would you ever date my brother?” *PLAY IT COOL MACY* My heart was beating 8,000,000 BPM and I calmly (i hope) replied: “I mean, if he asked me on a date, I’d say yes.” And by golly, he did! Turns out, that was groundwork. Ian Doordashed flowers and a burger (the key to my heart) to my doorstep and we sat on zoom talking for hours. In the following weeks, every time we talked the hours felt like minutes. Even from the other side of the country, the way he pursued me was so intentional and God-honoring. Very early on I remember feeling distinctly safe. Safe to fall in love for the first time in my life, and that I did.