Don and I first met in 2015 at Eddie Merlot’s, where he worked as a food runner and I was a hostess. What started as a friendship quickly turned into a crush- evidenced by my carefully chosen outfits for days he worked, whispers among coworkers about our “secret” romance, and countless nights of texting back and forth that stretched into the early morning hours. Just six months after I started at the restaurant, we became a couple. Our first official date was hiking at Starved Rock, joined by my best friend and Matron of Honor, Alex. We spent three incredible years working together at Eddie Merlot’s, witnessing each other’s growth as we took on new roles. In January 2018, we took a significant step and moved into our first apartment together. Then, in 2019, we embraced an adventurous leap by relocating to Colorado, where we spent four wonderful years surrounded by breathtaking scenery and new experiences. In July 2022, we became pet parents after we rescued our sweet baby boy, Rhaegar, from a local shelter in Denver. In July 2023, we celebrated another milestone by buying our first home in Aurora, IL. We happily and gratefully spend our time hanging out with our son Rhaegar, seeing our families, playing video games, enjoying our hobbies, and renovating our house to become our home.

Every year we try to take a trip, even if it’s just a few towns over. In the summer of 2024, we decided to vacation in Pensacola, Florida. Don had never seen a tropical beach before, and we were excited to reunite with my best friend Alex and her husband, Brett. We of course even brought Rhaegar along for his first big vacation. On our first full day in town, we headed straight to the beach. We immediately ran into the ocean, laughing and playing like kids. Watching Don’s face light up at the sight of the vast ocean was truly magical. After our swim, we began searching for seashells in the sand. Suddenly, Don said he needed to run to the car for something. As I continued digging for shells, he returned, and I said something along the lines of, “I can’t find anything good.” That’s when he said, “Well, what about this?” I turned around to find him down on one knee, holding the most perfect Stevie Nicks-esque ring in his hands. Bob Marley’s “One Love” was playing from a nearby family's speaker, and I noticed a woman nearby looking up from her book, beaming at us with a thumbs-up. It was a precious, unforgettable moment.