Vow Renewal

Tyler and Chelsea’s story began the way many meaningful love stories do—through work, mutual friends, and a long season of friendship. For the longest time, they were simply friends, unaware that something deeper was quietly taking root. When they both found themselves single, that friendship naturally deepened. Late-night FaceTime calls became their favorite routine, stretching for hours filled with laughter, vulnerability, and conversations that felt effortless and endless. Somewhere in those late nights, love found its way in. Distance became part of their story early on, but it only made their connection stronger. On April 20, 2022, instead of getting high, they got *high on love*. Their first official date took place in Milwaukee at South Shore Park. With Anodyne Coffee in hand, they wandered along the water, talking, laughing, and soaking in the quiet magic of the moment. What they didn’t know then was that this simple walk by the lake would set the tone for their entire journey together. From that day on, sunsets and sunrises by the water became *their thing*. Whether it was early mornings wrapped in stillness or evenings painted in gold, being near the water always felt like home. The rest of 2022 unfolded like a beautiful adventure. Traveling back and forth between Alabama, Illinois, and Wisconsin, they learned quickly that love was worth every mile. Between attending weddings and building memories of their own, they found joy in the simplest moments—dolphin cruises, sunset cruises, rainy zoo dates, selfie museums, Bushwackers, fresh seafood, and long talks that stretched late into the night. After one unforgettable sunset cruise in Pensacola, they walked their dog, Charles, under a fading sky. When they returned to Tyler’s apartment, curled up together, hearts full and unguarded, they finally said the words that had been quietly growing between them: *I love you.* In October 2022, during a long weekend of wedding preparations for a friend, Tyler planned something Chelsea would never forget. He woke her up long before sunrise—no small ask for someone who isn’t a morning person—with promises of breakfast and a visit to the place where it all began. As the sky slowly lit up over South Shore Park, Tyler led Chelsea down by the anchor. He set up her phone, handed her his, and asked her to capture the sunrise. What she didn’t know was that he had poured his heart into a letter, one that spoke of love, gratitude, and a future he couldn’t imagine without her. When she finished reading and turned around, Tyler was on one knee—making sunrise the moment she said yes. The following month, in November 2022, Chelsea traveled to visit Tyler once more, and together they captured their engagement during a breathtaking sunset on the white-sand beaches of Orange Beach, Alabama. As the sky melted into soft pinks and golds over the water, they celebrated the promise they had made—another chapter written in the light of the setting sun. In early 2023, Tyler made the cross-country move back to Illinois, choosing love and a life together. From there, they began building a home filled with laughter, comfort, and shared dreams. By November 2023, they were married in a small, intimate ceremony surrounded by their closest family—a quiet and deeply meaningful beginning to their forever. Now, in May 2026, they are finally bringing their dream wedding to life—celebrating a love that started as friendship, grew across distance, and was always guided by sunsets, sunrises, and the water that forever felt like home.