On a chilly November evening in 2023, Joe and Maggie met outside a Chicago dive bar called Mom’s Place. They’d matched on Hinge, and Joe’s witty banter convinced Maggie to go on her very first Hinge date since moving to Chicago just two months earlier. Neither Joe nor Maggie were sold on “meeting someone on the internet,” so—naturally—they made backup plans with friends for later that night. But like all good things, they were surprised. Maggie knew the moment she saw Joe standing outside that dive bar that things would never be the same. They hit it off instantly. One drink turned into hours, backup plans were abandoned, and the night disappeared in the best way. While she didn’t realize it at the time, Maggie is now confident that it was her sinking the winning shot in a pool game against a random older couple (S/O Mike and Cami) that sealed the deal for Joe- he loves to win. Against Maggie's friends’ dating advice, they saw each other again the very next day—and then kept finding excuses to see each other after that. Early days were filled with fun dates- trying the infamous Pat’s Pizza (Joe's favorite), the driving range where Joe tried but failed to help Maggie with her golf swing, comedy shows, and an impressive amount of ice cream. From there, cue the kind of whirlwind they make movies about—time apart, finding their way back to each other, meeting families and friends, weathering highs and lows, and falling deeply, unmistakably in love. Less than a year after that first night, Maggie moved into Joe’s Lincoln Park condo. Since then, they’ve bought (and unfortunately killed) far too many houseplants, finally compromised on a thermostat setting that neither of them loves, watched 100+ Brewers games (most of them wins!), played endless rounds of Monopoly Deal, and built a life full of inside jokes, laughter, and love. Looking back, it feels fitting that their story began at Mom’s Place. Maggie believes her mom had a hand in bringing them together that night— because Joe is exactly the man she would have chosen for her. Joe and Maggie are happier than they ever imagined possible and endlessly grateful for the love and support of everyone reading this. They can’t wait to celebrate with you. ❤️