The couple first met when Ethan helped Kathleen schedule her classes at Oakland University during the summer of 2011. Kathleen would soon be starting her freshman year and Ethan was an upcoming sophomore. Ethan continued to recognize her throughout the following year when he would see her unmistakably contagious smile around campus. It would be another semester until they really started getting to know each other through classes, studying for the same major, and a group of mutual friends. They began dating during the fall semester of 2012 and finally became the loving couple as we know them today in January of 2013.

Who kissed who? The jury is still out! Kathleen remembers kissing Ethan for the first time just before he asked her to be his girlfriend – we can only assume the kiss gave him the confidence he needed to ask the question, but Ethan evades any attempt to confirm this notion.

Kathleen spent every summer in Elk Rapids, Michigan, where her grandparents had lived for more than 25 years, so Ethan knew the town already meant a lot to her. He envisioned the proposal on the picturesque pedestrian bridge downtown. On a beautiful summer afternoon, Ethan and Kathleen approached the bridge, decorated with rose petals with the help of Ethan’s brothers, and Kathleen incidentally exclaimed, “Look, something special happened here!” They reached the center of the bridge, surrounded by petals, and Ethan got down on one knee intending to affirm his unconditional love for Kathleen. However, both of them becoming overwhelmed with joy did not allow for Ethan to finish his speech before he simply had to ask her – “Will you marry me?” Kathleen delightedly said, “Yes!” and the couple continued on to meet their family for a cheerful celebration.