Caroline and Adrian first met in the fall of 2014, during their senior year at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. They were living in the same Cooperative House just off campus and formed a friendship over the year they spent living there. After graduation, both Caroline and Adrian accepted opportunities in Chicago, where they are both originally from. They stayed in touch, exchanging texts and keeping up with each other’s lives, and made plans to meet up once Adrian moved into his apartment in the city. As soon as the two friends met up in person after a few months of not seeing each other, they felt an undeniable spark. Their first “date” was at Bangers & Lace in Wicker Park, where they sat tucked into a corner table, talking and laughing until it was last call. Hungry afterward, but with most places closed at 2 a.m., they found a 24-hour taco spot and shared a late-night meal — a perfect beginning to what would become a lifelong adventure together. Even if they were shy about calling that first night a “date” after being friends for a while, the connection they had was impossible to ignore after that. Caroline and Adrian spent their twenties growing and learning together. During these years, they supported one another in building their careers, figuring out adulthood, and taking steps to become their best self. They continued to explore Chicago together, especially enjoying trying new restaurants each weekend, seeing live music, and getting to know all the different neighborhoods across the city. In 2020, they moved into their first apartment together in Bucktown. The next year, they adopted a puppy together, Kyuubi, to join Shadow the cat, and took their first international trip together, celebrating their 30th birthdays in Italy. Last July, during a trip to Europe, Adrian proposed to Caroline in a way that exceeded anything Caroline could have ever dreamed of. After attending their close friends’ wedding in Florence, they extended their trip to the south of France. There, at golden hour in the stunning lavender fields, Adrian got down on one knee and asked Caroline to marry him. Visiting the lavender fields had always been a dream of Caroline’s, and between the breathtaking backdrop, the smell of the lavender, and Adrian’s beautiful words, Caroline felt overflowing with love and gratitude. Afterward, they returned to the farm cottage they were renting, popped a bottle of Champagne, and cooked a celebratory dinner together with fresh ingredients from a local market. They ended their trip with a few days in Paris, soaking in the excitement of their new engagement. Now, after nearly a decade together, Caroline and Adrian are excited to celebrate their ten-year anniversary just a few weeks before their wedding day. They feel their wedding is the perfect way to celebrate this milestone in their journey together!