May 2nd, 2026

Kat and Erik’s story began in AP English during their junior year of high school, where a friendship sparked over shared sarcasm, essays, and inside jokes. By the end of that school year, Erik surprised Kat at her house with roses and asked her to be his girlfriend in a sweet, bold move that marked the start of something special. Senior year was full of memories: dances, spontaneous dates, and soaking up every minute of their final high school chapter together. But when college rolled around in the fall of 2018, life took them in different directions. Kat headed to Indiana University in Bloomington, while Erik stayed closer to home to play soccer at Lake Forest College. Despite the miles between them, they made it work (shoutout to the long weekends, road trips, and FaceTime). Over the next few years, they balanced campus visits and busy schedules, with Erik graduating after 3 years and heading to Washington University in St. Louis for grad school. Meanwhile, Kat graduated and moved back to Chicago for her first job. Yes, that meant two more years of long distance (six years total 🫠), but Kat and Erik agreed that one day spent together made up for all the days apart. After Erik earned his master’s degree, they finally moved into their first apartment together in Lincoln Park. Just six months later, on a chilly walk through the park, Erik got down on one knee under the Honeycomb Pavilion and asked Kat to marry him. She said yes, and now they can’t wait to celebrate this next chapter with all of you!