They say fate works in mysterious ways, and for us, it came with a little help from our friend Sal Mendoza. Sal introduced us, and from the very first conversation, it felt like we had known each other forever. We like to think of it as the invisible string theory—we were always destined, even if our paths kept missing each other. In fact, Jess might have even trick-or-treated at Kevin’s house when they were kids. The universe clearly had a sense of humor, tying our strings tighter until we finally crossed paths for real. Fast forward to the proposal: Kev planned a day that was so us. He started with breakfast (because he knows Jess gets cranky if she’s hungry), then a stop at a Mexican Museum to honor Jess’s culture, followed by the Shedd Aquarium. After a snack break in the car (again, hunger management 😂), Kev led Jess to the Field Museum to see a “new artifact.” As they wandered through exhibits, they arrived at the Hall of Gems, where a display case held Jess’s engagement ring and a heartfelt note. Jess panicked—convinced they were about to get in trouble—while Kev smoothly took out the ring, got down on one knee, and asked her to marry him. A hidden photographer captured it all, and the rest of the day was spent taking engagement photos around downtown Chicago before ending with a surprise hotel stay. It was the perfect proposal for two people who love history, culture, and each other. Now, we can’t wait to celebrate the next chapter of our story with all of you! 🤍