We're getting married!

Like many love stories nowadays, ours began with a swipe. After matching on Tinder and spending a couple of weeks getting to know each other, we decided to meet in person. On December 5th, 2020, we went on our first date to the Getty Drive In Theater and from that night on, everything clicked. As winter turned to spring, we grew closer, meeting each other's friends and families, and spending more time together. On February 13th, 2021, Nolan officially asked Kaitlyn to be his girlfriend (after a little friendly interrogation from both sets of friends, of course!). That summer, we found ourselves doing long-distance for the first time while both home for internships. Even with the distance, we made the most of every visit. Going to Tiger’s Games, hanging out at Renshaw’s, and soaking up the sun on boat days in Spring Lake. Come fall, long distance became a thing of the past as we both returned to college. We spent our weekends visiting each other's college houses and exploring Grand Rapids together. In December, Kaitlyn graduated from Grand Valley State University, and Nolan followed a few months later with his graduation from Hope College in May. After college, we both moved home and began our first full time jobs. Despite the distance, we continued to make time for one another driving across the state every weekend to be together. Eventually, we realized we didn’t want to do long distance anymore. So, in February 2023, we moved into our first apartment together in downtown Grand Rapids. Living together brought so many special memories like long walks downtown, hosting events with our friends, exploring West Michigan, and cozy nights in. Every ordinary moment felt extraordinary simply because we were together. In April 2023, we took our first big trip together to Hawaii! A once in a lifetime adventure and one of our most cherished memories together. We continued to travel together from Florida to Tennessee to countless trips up north creating unforgettable memories along the way. Whether we were surrounded by friends or spending time with family, we quickly realized what we had was something truly special, something we wanted to hold on to forever. Then, on April 27th, 2025, Nolan asked Kaitlyn to marry him at Kollen Park in Holland, MI. The proposal was followed by a surprise engagement party with all of our closest family and friends, truly one of the happiest days of our lives. Kaitlyn knew Nolan was the one because she never wanted to be anywhere else but by his side. His goofy self, thoughtfulness, kind heart, and the way he made even the smallest things like running errands or making dinner feel special. With him, she learned what it truly means to share life with a partner. She’s beyond excited to spend forever with her best friend and can’t wait for all the memories they’ll create together! Nolan knew Kaitlyn was his better half when she continued to embrace him for who he was, bringing out the best of his personality. She is a constant ray of light with a radiant laugh and smile. She’s always doing little things for him, like packing his lunch, folding his laundry, or creating the grocery list. It doesn’t matter if it’s time on the water or a walk through town, all he wants is to be by her side. There’s no such thing as wasted time. Nolan would go to the end of the earth for her. By the way she looks at him and how he feels with her, he knows he has found the perfect partner for life. We feel incredibly blessed to have found each other, and we can't wait to celebrate the next chapter of our lives with all of you in July!