We celebrate our anniversary on the date of our first date, April 7, 2016, because there was no looking back after that night. We met online and decided to meet at a tavern halfway between our apartments. We only lived 1.25 miles apart! Our first date went so well that we had our second date the very next day. Our third date was the day after that, when we introduced each other to our friends. We decided to move in together a few months later but had already signed separate leases for another year. In September 2017, Dan moved in with me, Wilbur, and my roommate, Kirsten. The four of us lived together for two years until Kirsten moved out, leaving Dan and me to live on our own. Dan proposed in January 2023 at the Grand Canyon (see photo). It was the first time Dan had any involvement in planning a vacation, and he was very particular about where we went and when—I should have taken that as a clue! We enjoyed the beautiful views of the Grand Canyon for a few minutes before Dan led me away from the crowds. As the trail came to an end, I was ready to head back to the lodge, but Dan asked me to pause and just be in the moment for a minute. Then, he got down on one knee. I was absolutely shocked. I know it’s hard to believe that after seven years together, I could still be surprised—but I was! Once we got home, we talked about the need to buy a house and get married—and we decided to buy a house first. Who knew that process would take so long? In June 2024, we finally moved into our new home with our precious doodle, Walter. Now that we’re settled in, we knew we had one more big milestone to tackle! We didn’t want to wait much longer, so we decided to plan a wedding in just six months. We figured we’d tie the knot before turning 40 and celebrating our 10-year dating anniversary. We can’t wait to celebrate with all our family and friends and dance the night away! We hope you can make it!