When Teddy first saw Julia's photo on her high school graduation invitation, he pointed and told his mom, "I am going to marry that girl". About 14 years later, we are finally doing it. Julia has been best friends with Teddy's cousin, Charlotte, since elementary school. Charlotte introduced us in 2012, and we have been in each other's lives ever since. Teddy made the first move when he sent Julia a letter and included a Beach Boys cassette tape to her college dorm room. For years, we drove from Grand Rapids to Ann Arbor to see each other before Teddy moved to Ann Arbor in 2016. From there, we moved together to Marquette, then Traverse City, and finally, west to California. Over the years, we have been shaped by each other and our shared experiences. A letter sparked our love, and this letter excerpt from the poet Rainer Maria Rilke informs our view of love and marriage. "Once the realization is accepted that even between the closest human beings infinite distances continue, a wonderful living side by side can grow, if they succeed in loving the distance between them, which makes it possible for each to see the other whole against the sky." Looking back, it's hard to believe that we have weathered so many of life's peaks and valleys together. It's already been a wonderful journey, and we are excited to commit to each other in the legal sense, although our hearts have been committed since we fell in love as teenagers. Thanks for being a part of our love story. We are excited to celebrate with you.