Rileigh & I met during graduate school in the fall of 2020 when the world was still shut down and classes were still virtual. Neither of us knew anyone when we moved to South Carolina and we quickly formed a tight friend group with some of our cohort. From the get go, Rileigh swore up and down that she knew me from somewhere but I was unconvinced- I would've remembered her! After getting to know each other, we eventually figured the Rileigh must've seen me during her girls' trip to Alaska that summer- she must've been on one of the whale watching trips that I was working on! Talk about meant to be! It wasn't until months later that we discovered she was actually on a competitor's boat. Cut to May of 2021 when Rileigh and I (still just friends) planned a trip back to Alaska during our summer break. We both had good friends in the state and had the freedom (oh grad school!) to travel. Spending a whole week traveling, eating, and birding our way around Alaska, we had the time and space to realize that our relationship was definitely greater than just friends. As the saying goes "Marry Your Best Friend!" Rileigh and I built a strong friendship that soon (to no one's surprise) became more than that. Four and a half years later, we've moved four times in three different states, adopted Tega, and built a life for ourselves back in the state we met. We both look forward to celebrating with our closest friends and family as we say "I do"!