When Grant responded to Elle’s Hinge prompt asking about comfort tv shows (aka the shows you watch over and over again dozens of times just to have something on in the background) with both a comedy and procedural option she was immediately intrigued. The conversation continued and was not just your typical surface level small-talk. The two had A LOT in common and were comfortable pretty immediately. As a first date they decided on a stroll through Target to hang out in the candle section and sniff, browse the board games and movies for next date ideas, and wander through aisles for hours on end just getting to know each other. They then had lunch, but Elle had to cut it a little short to go meet a client for a facial. That client was one of her besties (and bridesmaid), Sara. Elle spilled all the details during the appointment, and once it was done, checked her phone saw a text from Grant letting her know that he made it home safe and that he hoped their tentative plans for Sunday would work out because he was excited to see her again. She couldn’t wait to see him either. So, they hung out on that Sunday, which happened to be her birthday, and watched the NFC and AFC Championship games. Shortly after they were officially boyfriend and girlfriend and Grant surprised Elle by attending her dance team’s state prelims performance, this is where he got to unexpectedly meet Elle’s sister and friends (they “hid” behind a curtain and took pictures until Elle came over and gave them what they wanted). After all of that, he wasn’t scared off and the two became inseparable.

Elle knew the question was coming eventually because Grant included her in the designing of her dream ring. But, when she asked for more details all he would tell her was “Summer.” He knew she didn’t want something super public, she wanted pictures, and she wanted their friends and family involved, and boy, did he deliver. The week of the proposal, Grant had co-workers in town, thus, after meetings were done there was team bonding events all week. This meant he had a perfect cover for his plans, he told Elle there was a dinner that Friday night to give her an excuse to be dressed up without tipping her off to the actual events of that evening. Grant, in typical Grant fashion, thought about every detail. He found a photographer (Elle’s college roommate and close friend, Taylor), he got Elle’s other college roommate and Matron of Honor, Carly, to the house to be there for the proposal. And he came up with an excuse to get her outside (the new umbrella for the deck arrived and was set up). When he got her outside, she saw the setup he had worked on and run by both Taylor and Carly to make sure it was good enough. There were flowers, greenery, and pictures of the two of them throughout their entire story. Finally, the date— June 20, 2025, the first day of summer. Right there, in the place they fell in love, Grant got down on one knee and asked Elle to marry him. But the night didn’t end there, Grant had coordinated with both of their families and friends and they gathered together to help celebrate at TopGolf.