Derin and Katie first met at William & Mary in 2017. During their sophomore year, they had a couple classes together and would often study in the same groups. They began spending more time together outside of class, and in 2019 they started dating. Since then, neither has looked back. Following their graduation from William & Mary, they lived together in Richmond, VA for a year before heading to Nebraska for Katie's nursing school. After a year in Nebraska, they moved to Charlottesville, VA for Derin's medical school. They got engaged in October of 2023 on a hike through the Blue Ridge Mountains and are excited to share the mountain views with their guests at their wedding in November, 2025!