In 2016, Katina decided that a change of job was in order and started to search for a new job, when an opportunity in Pennsylvania presented itself. Allison Lydon (Matron of honor) said that one last night in Milwaukee was needed and called in her brother’s friends for a place to stay. That was the night that Michael and Katina first met. Mike in his true to self-fashion, stayed in that night to study, and Katina thought he was a a nerd (she wasn't completely wrong...) Katina did not end up moving to Pennsylvania, and rather took a job in Schaumburg, IL. Fast forward to February and Katina showed up to one of Mike and Jonny’s Annual National Marquette Day Parties, and was met with “I was never supposed to see you again”. From that day, Michael and Katina became good friends through multiple concerts and brewery trips, and in September 2019 decided to give the whole dating thing a go. From September 2019 til now, they have gone to even more concerts (100+ and counting!), traveled to multiple states and countries, and fell in love with each other more each and every day. Katina is currently the Quality Systems Manager at HEIDENHAIN Corporation in Schaumburg IL, and all the studying worked out for Michael and he is an Actuarial Analyst with Miliman in Chicago, IL. They recently bought their first house together in April 2021, and are so excited to celebrate their marriage with each of you on November 12, 2022!

Our proposal story should have actually been in December 2020, but COVID got in the way. Mike and Katina have an annual tradition of going to the Christkindlmarket and Cindy's rooftop every December. COVID cancelled a lot of things in 2020, and that included the Christkindlmarket, and closing Cindy's until May 2021. So Mike spent every weekend just waiting for Cindy's to open again... Finally in June, the wait was over. Katina planned a weekend visit with some of their friends - not knowing that Allison was coming to photograph the entire day. All of this planning led to the most amazing proposal on the rooftop, surrounded by our friends and so much love in our favorite place. We could not have asked for a more perfect day.