Sam and Emily first met online in 2013, where they bonded over a mutual love of video games and cheesy tv shows. From our first date, it was clear to both of us that this was something special. Being together came naturally and before too long we found ourselves spending almost every day together. 7 years later, we've moved to Houston, gone on a couple road trips to visit dear friends, and adopted a wonderfully opinionated cat (who we spoil rotten).

Emily: The Monday after his birthday weekend, Sam was making dinner while I knit my quarantine sweater. It was finally starting to look like a real sweater--I was just shaping the arm holes--so I was very excited! At this point Sam told me dinner was ready and asked me to step into the bathroom of our (very small) apartment. I was a little suspicious but we had been in lockdown for 2 months by this point and I figured there was no way he'd be able to hide the ring that long. So naturally I came out of the bathroom to a romantic, candlelit dinner where Sam proposed. The best surprise to come out of 2020! Sam: Emily and I had been dating a few years before I felt we were in a good position to get married. That time had finally arrived in late 2019, and I was able to find the perfect ring - how lucky! I received the ring earlier than expected, in February 2020. I immediately started to make plans to pop the question, but life had some other ideas. After a couple of failed attempts at making spur-of-the-moment plans, I decided to be a little more thoughtful in my planning. We would visit the hill country of Austin in early April to catch the beautiful bluebonnet flowers in bloom! At that time, there were headlines about a virus spreading in one town a world away. Little did I know what the pandemic would bring, but it quickly became apparent that we were heading into a relatively new "normal". I decided that no matter what happened, I wanted to be married to the woman I love. I picked the weekend following my birthday in late May to pop the question, thinking Emily would be more surprised - I think she was! After preparing a meal for us, I shooed Emily away (how romantic!) so I could surprise her with a candlelit dinner. She said yes, and made me the happiest man alive.