Every great story needs a wonderful starting point, and ours began, like many modern romances, with a little help from mutual friends. Maria first knew them from high school, and Kaden met them during his time in college. That initial connection was strong, but our timing was... challenging. Shortly after we began dating, we found ourselves facing three years of long-distance as we focused on our degrees. Maria was determined at Purdue University, while Kaden was chasing his goals at Lincoln Trail College. Dating long-distance requires commitment, trust, and a whole lot of scheduling, but those years of endless phone calls, weekend road trips, and tearful goodbyes only solidified what we already knew: we were worth the effort. Every mile apart made the moments together feel even sweeter. We weathered three years, marking time until we could finally be in the same city. And then, the ultimate celebration arrived. On our three-year anniversary in May 2025, we took a beautiful, well-deserved trip to Punta Cana. On a stunning morning, with the sound of the ocean as our backdrop, Kaden got down on one knee. After all the miles, the late-night study sessions, and the countless video calls, we finally got to say yes to forever. We can’t wait to celebrate the end of our long-distance chapter and the beginning of our greatest adventure yet, right here with all of you!