We're getting married!

Curtis and Connor met in June of 2024 after connecting online, and their first date was memorable before it even began. On the day they were supposed to meet, Connor was running late thanks to an unexpected workplace emergency: one of his staff members accidentally started a box of potato chips on fire. After extinguishing the flames, calming the kids and staff, making an emergency run to the hardware store for air purifiers, and realizing he smelled strongly of burnt popcorn, Connor rushed home to shower and change—fully prepared to cancel the date. Thankfully, Curt wouldn’t let him. Once Connor was smelling slightly less of smoke, the two finally met for drinks at the Wharf in Manitowoc. Over cocktails, they bonded over their shared backgrounds in summer camp, a mutual love of the outdoors and camping, and the shared vision both had for their futures. The connection was instant. The very next weekend, Curt invited Connor on a camping trip to Peninsula State Park. Despite Connor’s (very reasonable) concerns, Curt turned out not to be an axe murderer, and the two had an incredible weekend. From that point on, they were pretty much inseparable. Since then, they’ve shared countless camping trips, road trips on Curt’s motorcycle (Connor did get his license… but decided it wasn’t really his jam), and unforgettable vacations to California and Puerto Rico—all while building a life together in Sheboygan. In July of 2025, on Connor’s birthday, on the way to a surprise dinner, Curt made a pitstop at the mall and walked out holding a purple Zales bag - Connor had no idea what was inside, but Curt's excitement was contagious. That evening, outside a fantastic tapas restaurant, Curt gifted Connor black diamond earrings and shared that he was ready for the next step whenever Connor was. Nervous and unsure where to begin, Curt offered Connor some very vague ring inspiration and concluded with, “I’m sure you’ll pick the right one.” (Super helpful.) After narrowing it down—and with some input from friends and Curt’s brother—Connor chose the ring: the most expensive option (of course), but also the one he knew Curt would love most. Once he had the ring in hand, Connor tried again and again to plan the perfect proposal moment. Nothing felt quite right. Finally, after months of increasingly obvious hints from Curt, and anxious to finally put a ring on it, Connor decided to propose on a Wednesday night in December. He created a trail of rose petals leading from the living room to the Christmas tree, where a glass ornament held a piece of paper with a QR code inside (very tech-savvy, obviously). The code led to a slideshow Connor had made of the two of them together, highlighting their adventures together. When the video ended, Connor dropped to one knee right there in the living room and asked Curt to marry him. Curt, of course, said yes. And the rest, as they say, is history.