Despite growing up in the same hometown, Brock and Gracie first met during the summer of 2020 in the midst of the pandemic. And although neither of them was looking to enter into a relationship at the time, it was during this first meeting that a remarkable coincidence occurred. Brock, who had recently graduated from the University of Minnesota, was moving to Columbus Ohio in two weeks to begin graduate school at The Ohio State University, while Gracie was involved in a design internship with Abercrombie & Fitch (whose headquarters just happen to be located in Columbus). They ended up walking and talking for over four hours during their first date at Gamehaven in Rochester Minnesota, and spent nearly everyday together for the next two weeks. For their second date, Gracie and Brock prepared a burrata pasta with homemade garlic bread, in what became the first of many delicious meals that they have planned and cooked together. The remainder of their first year together was spent apart, with Gracie completing her senior year at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in Georgia, and Brock staying in Columbus. It was during this year that video call dinners and an occasional $100 round trip flight were the norm. Fortunately, after spending a year apart, Gracie began her career at Abercrombie & Fitch where she and Brock were finally in the same city. In the intervening years, Brock and Gracie still spent most days laughing, discussing art and science, cooking, and exploring the world with one another. After spending nearly five years together, Brock proposed to Gracie on a sunny afternoon at the same place where they talked for hours on their first date. In the months prior to their engagement, Brock and Gracie visited the American Swedish Institute in January of 2025 and thought that this would be a perfect venue for a wedding, as it highlights their shared love of the arts, design, and all things Scandinavian. They hope that you will join them in the celebration of their marriage as they embark on a shared lifetime together.