Kate and Will met the modern way: by swiping right on Tinder in 2019. Will messaged first, with a funny line about the “Come On Eileen” music video, which Kate had listed as her “anthem” on the dating app. After texting for a few weeks, they set up a date to grab dinner at the Mellow Mushroom in Downtown Blacksburg. After they officially began dating, Kate and Will decided to take it slow; they adopted a dog (Pepper) and moved across the country in the middle of a pandemic. They spent two years in Houston together, dodging hurricanes and huddling together during the Texas Winter Freeze of 2021. In between natural disasters they were able to devote time to their favorite hobby: travel. Kate and Will explored Texas, Louisiana, and the Southwest. The Sonoran Desert worked its charm on Will and quickly became as important to him as it was for Kate, who was born in Arizona.

Will proposed to Kate in December of 2021 in Scottsdale, Arizona. He planned an entire day full of surprises and their favorite places and activities. There was gluten-free brunch, a natural history museum, a wine bar, and a couples massage before they went to Las Noches de Las Luminarias at the Desert Botanical Garden. Will had arranged for a custom luminaria that said “Marry Me, Kate” and got down on one knee. Spoiler alert–Kate said yes. The newly engaged couple celebrated with a lovely dinner at Bourbon Steak and a special night’s stay at the Princess (where they are getting married)!