This story began shortly after Zoë had moved to Dallas, on one of her first weekends in a brand-new city. Ready to tear it up and make the most of the night, she headed to a random apartment gathering. When that scene fell flat, she reached out to a friend, looking for a better option - only to discover that her friend was at a different apartment in the very same complex. She walked into the get-together at Matt’s apartment and was quickly greeted by the host himself. What followed was some first-class awkward flirting—bonding over their shared status as Midwest transplants, their mutual claim to being “sporty,” and the unexpected discovery that they both owned 2009 Honda CR-Vs. By the end of the exchange, Matt had received an invitation to a wholesome brunch at Zoë’s apartment later that weekend. Brunch - featuring Matt’s amazing cinnamon rolls and Zoë’s slightly-above-average eggs - kicked off a months-long “will they, won’t they” phase. That period came to an end when Zoë finally set Matt straight about his indecisiveness, and the two went on their first official date that night. What followed were five years of growing together, both as a couple and as individuals - becoming each other’s biggest supporters, closest confidants, and fiercest competitors in two-player games. Zoë flew around in helicopters, Matt competed in Ironmans, and together they traveled the world from Hawaii to Greece to Guatemala and beyond. Yet they quickly realized that whether they were on a grand adventure or sitting six feet apart on the couch in complete silence, decompressing after a long week, wherever they were was where they wanted to spend the rest of their lives—together. That chance encounter in an apartment complex five years ago led to a deliberate and obvious choice. After a bout of nervous 5 a.m. pacing, Matt proposed to Zoë at sunrise in Acadia National Park, and she said “yes,” beginning the next chapter of their adventure together.