Joe and Erin had formerly been acquainted with one another in a professional context, but were officially introduced by mutual friends at the Minnesota Music Educator Association midwinter clinic in February of 2020. Following this introduction, their shared affinity for "liking" cat-related posts on Facebook eventually led to foolishly long, but wonderful phone calls. Joe and Erin went on their first date in Fargo-Moorhead on March 11, 2020, just as the world seemed to be shutting down around them. They spent much of that first date day enjoying delicious food and beverage at some of Erin's favorite Fargo-Moorhead eateries. The next day, Joe was so eager to spend time with Erin again that he didn't mind that her mom (Julie) would be along for their second date. Erin didn't actually mind this scenario at all, as Joe worked his signature Joe charm on her mom so effectively that Erin had zero concerns about eventually introducing Joe to the rest of the family. Ultimately, Joe and Erin have had the blessing of time to grow and strengthen their relationship. The pandemic has been devastating in the lives of the couple's friends, family, students, and the economy in many ways. Yet, the drastic reduction of the couple's side hustles afforded them the luxury of time to get to know one another in a way they couldn't have otherwise. Erin and Joe combined their households and their feline fur babies (Joe's Gus, and Erin's Joey + Clara) over the summer, and they were engaged on January 16, 2021. While the cats don't all get along just yet, Erin and Joe are thrilled to "do life together," and will be married at the end of May 2021, just 15 months from that fateful night at the Hilton Hotel bar (where so many great love stories begin... maybe). While the couple's May 2021 wedding may be intimate and unconventional, they hope to throw a "big ass party" in 2022, where as many of their friends and family can get as weird as they want in a less COVID-crazy world!