Back then Ryan and Emma were just two students who happened to be interns at the same time at the Flat Rock Playhouse. Due to being in different departments they spent most of that summer being nothing more than acquaintances. However that changed towards the end of summer when Emma invited Ryan along with their friend Sam to go hiking at Graveyard Fields on the Blue Ridge Parkway - where they later got engaged. After that the two became closer, started dating, and the rest is history.