Katie and James first met in September 2015 at a kick off dinner in Charlottesville for a Systems Engineering project that Katie was involved in and James' company was helping to support. They sat across from each other and spent the time talking about their shared roots - they both were from the DC area, Katie went to Visitation where James' grandmother attended and they were (or to be) both Systems majors. At the time, James was living in Baltimore while Katie continued her 4th year in Charlottesville, but James soon moved to Charlottesville in February 2016. Over the next two months, the two would sporadically see each other in Charlottesville and in April 2016, James asked Katie out on their first date. The date was at Beer Run where Katie daintily ordered the nachos. Surprising to both of them, the nachos nearly took up the entire table and the man one table over turned and said "I believe in you" - maybe he saw and believed in the strength of their early seeds of love... (corniness courtesy of James.) James then took Katie to a UVA football alumni event where he had earlier RSVP'd with her as his "girlfriend" to make sure they approved her as his plus one. To James' embarrassment, this got called out when they both arrived, but Katie took it in stride. A few cities and a doodle later, the rest is history!

James planned a trip to Charlottesville for Memorial Day Weekend under the guise of needing to go to a Systems Engineering dinner that Friday night (complete with a fake email invite from his former advisor, Professor Scherer). Katie begrudgingly agreed due to James' promise of a fun weekend of breweries, Ivy Provisions and Roots. Little did Katie know that James had a surprise up his sleeve (or rather, in his sock). While walking toward the "Systems Dinner", James forced Katie to cut across The Lawn (where Katie didn't want to get her white shoes muddy) - halfway across, he stopped her and got down on one knee. Katie was shocked, excited and emphatically said "yes!". They turned to walk down the Lawn and she saw her mom and his dad standing with cameras waiting to congratulate them, then continued on into the Colonnade Club for the "Systems Dinner". The "dinner" ended up being a surprise Engagement Party of a handful of their family and friends. James couldn't have planned a more perfect engagement and the night was all they could've dreamed of. It of course ended with a Trin3 dance party and the celebrations carried on throughout the weekend at breweries and wineries.