For those of you who may not know how we met (or for anyone who just enjoys a good love story), here’s a little glimpse into how it all began… We met as high schoolers at 16 years old, in German class of all places. While we can’t say we remember much of the language, we do remember becoming best friends. What started as a teenage romance quickly turned into something deeper, and before we knew it, we were spending all of our time together and falling in love. Some of our favorite memories from those years were the simplest ones. Our very first date was at the Kansas State Capitol building in Topeka, and it became a place we returned to and explored again and again: sometimes just the two of us, sometimes with friends, always making memories. It was our little spot long before we ever knew what the future would hold. After two years together, life led us in different directions. We were young and stepping into new paths, and although it was difficult, that time apart helped us grow and become the people we are today. In September of 2020, we reconnected and from the very first conversation, we both knew this was special. Two weeks later, we started dating again, this time with the intention of forever. Over the past five years, we’ve supported each other through challenges, celebrated the good, grown in our faith, and learned what it truly means to be partners. Through every phase, one thing has stayed the same: we are best friends first. We truly believe we’ve grown up together, and that has made our love stronger and more beautiful with time. Clayton’s proposal was thoughtful, intentional, and perfectly “us.” After years together and a lifetime already being planned, saying yes was the easiest decision. We chose to share our vows at the Sedgwick County Courthouse in Wichita and we celebrated this full-circle moment by taking our photos at the Kansas State Capitol building, the same place where it all began. It feels like the sweetest reminder that sometimes the best love stories are the ones that find their way back to where they started. At the end of the day, we were simply two kids who recognized home in one another, and we wouldn’t want to do this life with anyone else.