M&H

Like all great love stories, theirs began at a Loras wrestling party. But according to Matt, the story started long before that. He had noticed Hillary months earlier and felt instantly drawn to her. She was beautiful, funny (duh), and had a spark he couldn’t quite forget. He just couldn’t find the right moment to introduce himself. When fate (and an opportunity to drink) finally brought them together, Hillary thought Matt was hilarious and kind. She left that night remembering everything about him except his name. (In her defense, it was loud, there was Busch Light involved, and he was on crutches, which was understandably distracting.) For weeks afterward, Hillary couldn’t get the funny, freckled boy out of her head. And if you know Hillary, you know she’s nothing if not determined (and basically a social media FBI agent). So she took matters into her own hands, scrolling through the Loras College wrestling roster, name by name and headshot by headshot, until she finally found him: Matt Connolly (165 weight class, for those wondering). She had no idea that a few short years later, she’d be taking that last name herself. Since then, they’ve graduated from college, built a life together, and continued chasing their dreams. Matt went from being a wrestler to coaching the wrestlers, with Hillary proudly cheering from the stands every season. Matt completed his master’s degree, and Hillary will finish her MSW shortly after the wedding. And yet somehow, they’re still school kids with crushes, now both working at Dubuque Senior High School. They’ve built a life filled with adventures big and small, traveling, hiking, and assembling more furniture than they’d like to admit. Hillary has also managed to lead Matt toward making some of his best decisions yet, like adopting their first cat, Macaroni. Now, they’re two cats and one dog deep, and Matt proudly admits he’s officially a cat person. Through laughter, love, and all the little moments in between, they’ve grown into partners who can’t imagine life any other way. What started as a college crush has turned into a life filled with love, laughter, and endless adventures, and this is just the beginning. Matt and Hillary’s story proves that timing, laughter, and maybe a little online detective work can lead you exactly where you’re meant to be. They can’t wait to celebrate this next chapter, and promise there will be plenty of laughter (and probably a few Busch Lights) along the way.