We met in Lake Geneva — I was there for a bachelorette party with my best friend (who will be my Matron of Honor), and Rob was there for a bachelor party. None of us knew each other. My best friend, being the social butterfly that she is, started talking to their group and quickly found out Rob was a police officer in the town next door to where I worked. After what I’m sure felt like an interrogation, she decided he was safe enough to introduce to me. When Rob asked what I did for work, I told him I was a preschool teacher. He smiled and said, “Don’t lie. Your friend already told me what you do.” And just like that, we were off. We talked the entire night and exchanged numbers. He may or may not have called me about twenty times trying to meet up again that same evening — but I was determined not to abandon my best friend’s bachelorette weekend. After that night, we didn’t talk again. Until a few months later. There was a car accident right on the border of the towns where we both worked. I showed up in an ambulance, and he showed up in his squad car. I didn’t recognize him at first — but later that day, it clicked. I debated whether I should text him… and at that exact same time, he texted me. The rest is history. Four years, countless adventures, career changes, long academy nights, big milestones, and so much growth later — we’re planning our wedding. One of our first big trips together was to the Great Smoky Mountains — a place that has always held a special place in my heart. It was the first national park I ever visited and the beginning of my goal to see as many as I can in my lifetime. It also became our first national park together, and our first hike was up Mount LeConte. His parents, who had recently moved to East Tennessee, met us at our cabin that week. Shortly after that trip, Rob’s dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and passed away just weeks later. The Smokies became the last place we were able to see him — a memory we will always cherish. This makes our location for our wedding so much more meaningful, we know he will be back there with us in the mountains! Since then, we’ve built a beautiful life together — buying our dream home in the town we always hoped to live in, surrounded by neighbors who have become dear friends (some of whom will be celebrating with us on our wedding day). What started as a chance meeting between a bachelorette and a bachelor party turned into the greatest adventure of our lives — and we can’t wait to begin this next chapter together