every moment before led to this

August 25th, 2023 - First met on State Street Madison, WI June 26th, 2024 - Matched on Hinge July 4th, 2024 - First date in Cambridge, WI! July 21st, 2024 - Became "boyfriend and girlfriend"! November 2024 - Moved in together in Mt. Horeb WI! February 2025 - Bought forever home! April 24th, 2025 - Got engaged! August 8th, 2026 - Our wedding! James and Katy met on State Street in Madison WI, August of 2023. Katy was out celebrating a bachelorette party. She and her energetic group of friends were leaving the bar when they ran into James and his coworker's who were on duty. Katy and her friends insisted on getting a photo with these officers before heading home. Initial thoughts: Katy: My first thought was, “These guys definitely have better things to do than take a photo with us. I really hope we’re not bugging them.” I grabbed the phone and took photos while the girls posed. I couldn’t help noticing how James carried himself, charismatic, easygoing, and yeah, a total looker. He didn’t seem bothered by our energy at all. If anything, he looked like he was actually enjoying himself. I asked a friend to snag a photo of me with these officers, and went on with our night by climbing into our uber back to the airbnb. James: I couldn't help but notice Katy immediately in her blue sparkling outfit. Her "energetic" party had asked for a photo with Matt and I. Being public servants we obliged in this community outreach effort. I noticed that the beautiful woman who caught my eye was not standing for the picture. When Katy asked for the photo I had a genuine smile on my face. We took the photo and Katy and her party left. I turned to Matt and told him how beautiful she was. In June of 2024 James and Katy's paths would cross once more... Katy and James matched on the dating app "Hinge". James didn't know this was the same girl he had a photo with almost a year ago, however Katy had her suspicions and did her own detective work. She thought that this had to be the officer she had a photo with! She scrolled through her photos, found the picture of her in her blue sparkly outfit smiling along side James. She zoomed in on his name tag and saw "DOWER". All she had to do now was confirm his last name. Soon enough, she shared the news that they have a photo together. This was something that both she and James found as a special coincidence. And as they continued to get to know each other they found many times that their paths could have crossed as if fate were trying to get them together. Nothing has felt as right as us being together.