We're getting MARRIED!

It was a cold day in January, back in 2012. Brian saw something in the halls of a Montana State University building in Bozeman and knew his life would never be the same. Spoiler alert, it wasn't a sign for "free pizza or beer", it was Erin. Erin was starting her masters in the same department as Brian, and her office was two doors down. Brian was immediately smitten and proceeded to hit on Erin. In fact, Brian's first text to Erin was "What a babe" leading to a long line of #whatababe posts on instagram (but that comes later). Unfortunately for Brian, such a smart, driven, funny, and ravishing woman was already taken. Fear not friends, this is not where the story ends.

Brian and Erin were great friends through graduate school. Brian wanted something he simply could not have and fought through the pain, waiting for any opportunity, and still hitting on her any chance he could get. He simply had to wait. They palled around while at MSU, enjoyed Bozeman and all its splendor, and usually drank too much. Erin ended her relationship in 2013, which Brian sensed because of Erin’s new bangs - bangs are usually a desperate call for help and he called it. The two joined a group of friends to Lake Coeur d'Alene and had a splendid weekend. Brian remembers fondly being hungover and napping in Erin's lap on the way back to Bozeman—the beginning of something new. It was September of 2013, when Brian finally asked Erin on their first date to a fancy restaurant in Bozeman - Blackbird. He wooed her by bringing a bottle of his father’s wine, complete with a Tornabene label! Just two months later, they were saying “I love you”. From there, the two have had many dates, laughs, and shared so much love. So much love, even while leapfrogging between Montana, Indiana, Montana, and Idaho and managing long distance along the way. Their love and passion stayed strong and held them together, despite hundreds of miles and differing time zones. Finally, they are together forever and will NEVER do long distance again! Erin --- I was single and looking for something new and different. I’d always had fun with Brian, but it wasn’t until we stood in a crowded, peanut-shell littered bar that he made my heart skip a beat. He told me that he thought I was “the most beautiful, sexy, and intelligent woman he’d ever met”. We kissed right there in that dirty, wonderful bar and it’s been right ever since.

On December 13th, 2018, Erin travelled to Missoula, MT from Boise, ID. Erin had recently started her job for the US Fish and Wildlife and the two were living apart again. Brian picked up Erin from the airport and insisted on a walk after her long flight. They walked one of their favorite trails in Missoula on a bridge over the Clark Fork River. Brian stopped Erin, had her face the mountains for a photo op, and then told her to turn around where he was on one knee. Erin immediately started crying and Brian told her how he loves her more than the world and has known since he first saw her that he wanted this. Brian asked if she would marry him and she fought the tears to yell "YES!". Brian tried to take the ring out of the box, on the bridge, over the river and all Erin could think about was the couple that lost their engagement ring down a subway grate during their proposal! She yelled "NO, NOT OVER THE WATER!!!" and demanded they go to shore to try the ring on. There was no way she was going to lose that beauty and wait another five years for a new ring. The ring is a Yogo (Montana) sapphire to commemorate the place where they met and fell in love.