Kate and Tyler met freshman year of college at the University of Pittsburgh (#H2P). They were both pledging a sorority and fraternity and got to know each other through the small world that is Pitt Greek Life. Although Delta Zeta and Sigma Chi were together all the time, Kate and Tyler never dated in college but remained good friends throughout undergrad.
A year or so after graduation, Kate and Tyler reconnected. Having recently moved back to Pittsburgh from Columbus, Kate went out with a group of friends to Acacia, a cocktail bar in the South Side. She hadn't seen Tyler since college and she thought he looked so handsome and grown up — very different from the frat boy she had known for years! Maybe it was the fact that Tyler had a beard now, maybe it was the stylish pea coat he was wearing. Either way, Kate was interested. Soon after reconnecting, Kate and Tyler joined a group of friends in a Valentine’s Day fun run. Let's be honest - it was a mile run and more about the outfits and the pregame than the "race." Sparks flew, and their first official date was drinks at the Livermore, a cocktail bar in East Liberty. Over old fashioneds, Tyler mentioned that he was moving to Philly in a few months for work. Kate thought to herself “Great, then this doesn’t have to be a thing.” Spoiler alert: it quickly became a thing. After deciding to do long distance, Kate and Tyler made their relationship official on July 4, 2014. Within a few months, Kate was looking for jobs and by November, she had moved to join Tyler in Philadelphia.
Kate and Tyler had plans to travel to Paris in April 2020 for Kate's 30th birthday. Of course, she was hoping to get engaged on that trip, but Covid-19 had other plans, and the trip had to be cancelled. At the same time, Kate and Tyler were closing on a house and set to move in June. A few weeks after getting settled into the new house, Kate was supposed to be out of town all day at a bridal shower, but she decided to stay home at the last minute. Meanwhile, Tyler had been planning for weeks to propose that day, and he wasn’t going to let the change of plans stop him. While Kate was out running errands, Tyler set up the most romantic proposal, complete with rose petals, candles, and their song, "La Vie En Rose," playing in the background. He even found an Eiffel Tower-shaped tin of French chocolates. Kate and Tyler got engaged on June 27, 2020, the first of many happy memories in their new home.