Set up by mutual friends, Will and Natalie began chatting over social media. Will's first message to Natalie said, "I hear you are the most amazing girl in California!" After quickly checking out Will online, Natalie decided to respond and the discussion quickly turned to Ridgecrest and The Washington Football Team (formerly known as The Redskins), two things Natalie knew nothing about. But after six weeks, and many, many more chats, sometimes about Natalie's cat Fluffy or Will guessing what Natalie did for a living ("scrub model?"), Natalie and Will had their first date at Lazy Dog Restaurant. Their first date was filled with more stories of getting to know each other and learning about dreams for the future, and both Natalie and Will knew after that date, they both wanted to be a part of each other's lives. The rest, as they say, is history.
On a warm spring day, Natalie and Will took a weekend trip Big Bear, California. Natalie and Will have taken many trips to Big Bear during the course of their relationship, and both agree, it has become "their" spot. Unbeknownst to Natalie, this trip would be very different from past trips. After arriving mid day, Natalie, Will, and their dog Cali, took a familiar hike through the forest, the same hike they took on their first trip to Big Bear. Stopping at the top of the mountain, overlooking Big Bear Lake, Will pretended to tie his shoe, while Natalie became very distracted with Cali chewing through her leash. After a few attempts to regain her attention, Will finally succeeded and Natalie realized what was happening, Will was asking Natalie to marry him. Of course, Natalie said yes. They set the date for May 22, 2021 and enjoyed the remainder of the weekend as a newly engaged couple.