Our story begins almost 4 years ago, when we matched on a dating app called Hinge. That day was November 17, 2021. Since then, we have not spent a day not speaking. We spent every moment we could together over the next 10 months, knowing that Ella was leaving for England to complete her master's degree in September 2022. We met families, went on weekend trips, spent almost every weekend together (Ella was living in between Bloomington and Peoria, while Clay was in Bloomington full-time), Clay started a full-time job at State Farm, and we soaked up every second we could. Then, Ella left for England. Over the next 10 months, our relationship would be long-distance, seeing each other only for Christmas and during Ella's spring break in April. It was full of FaceTime calls, texting all day everyday, and putting in the effort to be there for each other even with an ocean apart. We never wavered once during those 10 months. Those months further solidified that we were each other's people, and nothing could keep us apart. Clay got to visit England for a week, and traveling around together in Brighton, London, and Amsterdam is a highlight of our relationship. We feel so lucky we got to have that experience (and it will definitely not be the last!). Ella moved home in July 2023, and we moved into our first apartment together that Clay had scouted out and signed a lease for before Ella moved home. We navigated living together, finally being in the same place again, and building our life together with love and support. It was not always easy, but we never lost sight of the big picture: US. Ella started working at Illinois State University and Clay continued his job at State Farm. We love cooking, reading, golfing, watching TV and movies, football, and spending quality time together whenever we can. We got engaged in February 2025 and have had a blast planning our wedding so far. We are so happy you are going to be part of our biggest day. We love you.