Our story… well, it wrote itself, but God had the plan all along. So here’s how Lauren and Freddy got to this moment. Lauren, a girl from Buffalo, NY, always had a clear sense of what she wanted. One thing she knew early on was that she wanted to move away after high school. She applied to 10 out-of-state colleges, but one stood out: THE Ohio State University. She didn’t realize it then, but choosing Ohio State meant choosing her future in more ways than one. She went for independence and a new chapter, unaware her future husband was walking the same campus, living his own version of a story that would soon intertwine with hers. Now Freddy, a kid from Lorain, OH. Curious, stubborn, driven, and extremely attractive with a charismatic personality. Or some would say he was the one who wrote this. After high school, he stayed home to attend community college, but it didn’t take long to realize he wanted more. He reapplied to the schools that once denied him and received an acceptance from THE Ohio State University, which was an easy "yes". Two kids, a campus full of 60,000+ students, in the same city, same major, same graduating year. God really did have a plan. A couple years into college, Freddy noticed this beautiful girl who kept showing up in every class. Semester after semester, he’d think, “She’s beautiful, but I’d never have a chance.” Little did he know, Lauren was thinking similar things about him as well. They finally met at an extra-credit event, when Freddy made the first move to point out she’d been in all his classes, only for Lauren to stump him by saying, “I’m not in all your classes, but I’m in a lot of them… I have a twin sister.” From there came group projects where Lauren did most of the work while Freddy watched the Cavs Finals on his phone, happy hours, tailgates, and eventually meeting Freddy’s family at graduation— where Uncle Joey said, “That’s the girl he’s going to marry.” Lauren pushed Freddy to dream bigger and look beyond Ohio. He landed a job in Dallas; she stayed in Columbus. Distance naturally took them a part. A couple years later, Lauren moved to Dallas for a job conveniently moving right across the street from Freddy (She was playing chess, not checkers) and just like that, it was like no time had passed. From Whole Foods trips to Katy Trail walks and dinners at Perry’s, they became inseparable. In 2022 they moved in together, and soon felt ready for a new adventure, moving to The Carolinas. A place to build roots, grow closer to family, and create a life together. It became home. 2 years later, Freddy began planning how he’d ask Lauren to spend the rest of her life with him. Knowing he wanted the proposal to be somewhere meaningful. Throughout their relationship, Freddy often told Lauren about his childhood trips to Vail, CO and how much he loved it. Lauren had always dreamed of seeing it in the winter, and Freddy promised he’d be the one to take her. But life got busy, and the trip never happened. Which is exactly why Freddy knew it was the perfect place to propose. So in January 2025, a “spontaneous” trip to Vail was planned (at least that’s what Lauren thought… Freddy had been preparing it all behind the scenes). After a day exploring Vail village, they reached the covered bridge that meant so much to Freddy. Crows flew overhead, the photographer hid in the trees, and the mountains opened in front of them. Freddy got down on one knee asking Lauren to marry him. What they thought might be a short chapter in North Carolina has become home. They’re building a house in Charlotte, giving Decker a yard of his own, and creating the life they once only hoped for. Their paths weren’t just aligned by chance — they were aligned with purpose. It was clear from the start that their lives were meant to intertwine, to grow together and become exactly what the other had been hoping to find. So a love story? Absolutely. But it’s only the beginning and they can't wait to celebrate with you all!