Kathryn was entering her senior year at Valparaiso High School when she auditioned for the fall musical, Guys and Dolls, in September of 2015. Noah was entering his junior year and, in an effort to be more involved at school, happened to be auditioning for the very same show. Kathryn sat in the audience watching the boys audition when one caught her attention. “Who’s that?” she asked the friend beside her. “That’s Dan’s little brother.” “Jeez,” Kathryn laughed. “How many of them are there?” She already knew Dan Barajas from Show Choir and Drama Club and was just beginning to understand the true magnitude, and reach, of the Barajas family. They were everywhere. A couple months later, Kathryn was performing in a local theater production. Waiting backstage for her entrance, she scrolled through her phone, looking for someone to text (a very 17-year-old pastime). Somehow, still a hotly debated mystery, Noah Barajas’s number was already in her phone. At this point, they’d shared a few rehearsals and discovered a mutual talent for making each other laugh. So she texted him. “Hey, this is Sarah Brown.” “Who?” “Sarah Brown.” “Sorry, I don’t know a Sarah Brown.” “Dude, it’s Kathryn. I’m playing Sarah Brown in the musical lol.” Rehearsals became filled with laughter, distractions, and inside jokes. Kathryn even turned to her best friend Liv one day and said, “I think I love him.” “Kathryn,” Liv warned, “don’t date him.” Kathryn didn’t listen—and even Liv is very glad she didn’t. On November 6th, 2015, Kathryn and Noah went on their first date to a concert at Front Porch Music. Neither of them paid much attention to the music. Instead, they spent two hours debating whether or not to grab each other’s hand. Finally, during the last song, Kathryn awkwardly rested her head on Noah’s shoulder, her heart racing. From that night on, they were inseparable. There were long talks in parked cars, playlists shared, coffee dates at Blackbird, and the slow, meaningful merging of friends and family. Then came Kathryn’s high school graduation and Noah’s family preparing to move to Indianapolis, where he would finish high school in Greenwood. This marked the beginning of many long-distance months: Kathryn at college, Noah in a new city, their relationship sustained by nightly FaceTime calls and weekend trips back and forth. Eventually, both Kathryn and Noah found themselves at Indiana University. Noah had always known he would major in film. Kathryn, an International Studies major at the time, thought she had her path figured out, until a conversation with Jilly and Noah changed everything. “When was the last time you were really happy?” Jilly asked. “Probably writing and directing our senior showcase,” Kathryn said. “Well,” Jilly smiled, “there’s your answer.” Kathryn switched her major to Cinema and Media Production, studying alongside Noah. There was a brief college breakup (Kathryn’s fault), but even then, they flourished—separately and together. Kathryn lived in new cities, and long distance once again became part of their story. For many couples, that would have been the end. For Kathryn and Noah, it only made their relationship stronger. No matter where they were in the world, they kept choosing each other. Then came 2020, with all of its challenges. Still, they refused to let go of their shared dream: moving to a big city together. In May of 2021, they packed up and moved to Los Angeles, ready to begin the next chapter. Fast forward to 2024: they got engaged in that city. Fast forward to 2026: they’re getting married there. From the very beginning, Kathryn and Noah’s relationship has been built on mutual support, shared values, laughter, and a deep love of music and storytelling. And they can’t wait to see where the next chapter of married life takes them