Despite growing up ten minutes from each other in Naperville, we first connected on the dating app Hinge and went on our first date on December 5, 2019. The Bears were playing the Cowboys, and Mark arrived early at Empire in Downtown Naperville to snag a table with a TV, hoping to catch glimpses of the game while we chatted. Despite an exciting Bears victory, we decided to part ways after a few months. Fortunately, there's far more to our story. Fast forward to June 2022: Courtney ran into one of Mark’s high school friends in Downtown Chicago. They sent a picture to Mark, and Courtney suggested a drink to catch up. This led to our second "first date" at the Berkshire Room on June 9, 2022. Little did we know, that day began a beautiful journey filled with endless love and laughter. June 26th, 2024 became another pivotal date for us when Mark proposed. The official plan was to grab a drink with Mark's coworkers by the Adler Planetarium. When Courtney arrived, Mark asked for her hand in marriage with the stunning Chicago skyline behind us. One of our favorite date nights had been watching the Navy Pier fireworks, so Mark incorporated that into our special day. He rented a pontoon boat and served as captain for the evening, as we cruised along the Chicago River and enjoyed the Wednesday night fireworks. We can't wait to share our important date with you!