Steven and Leanna met through a mutual friend not too long after Steven graduated college. They met the for the first time at Leanna's work when the mutual friend brought Steven along. Leanna ended up getting Steven's contact information from the friend and they started hanging out.

Steven and Leanna hung out a lot, but Steven was very hesitant, due to his military status and moving around a lot, and was fairly adamant about not wanting to be in a relationship. About 3 months after they first met, Steven went to Belgium for a year. Leanna kept in constant contact with Steven. Steven was still stuck on not wanting to be in a relationship and even tried to convince Leanna to look elsewhere, but she persisted (thankfully). Once Steven returned he was a little nicer and more open, but still not totally ready. They continued to hang out very often and became close. Steven would visit Leanna at college, they would go on family trips together, Leanna would come to car shows with Steven, and he would attend concerts at her college. 9mo after Steven returned from Belgium he found out he was being deployed to Afghanistan the first time. Leanna was upset, but as she had always been, very supportive of Steven. Steven began to take more of an interest and Leanna and helped her prepare him being gone and things that would be happening in her life while he was gone. Steven helped Leanna find and move into her first apartment and get a dog (bad idea lol). Over the course of the deployment Steven and Leanna talked almost everyday. They were both very supportive of each other. Steven was enjoying his deployment and decided to sign up to come back to Afghanistan. Steven let Leanna know his decision and she said she would support him in whatever he decided to do. Steven eventually realized he had something special, how many women will stay loyal to someone who has been overseas twice, was signing up to do it a 3rd time, yet they aren't officially in a relationship? On Christmas Day 2016 Steven and Leanna made it official! When Steven came home in August 2017, they moved in together. Steven had pretty much decided by this point that Leanna was the one, and had started thinking about proposing. In October of 2017, Steven took Leanna on her first Cruise!

Despite knowing he would propose to Leanna, Steven did not plan to propose on the cruise! He didn't even buy the ring until 30min before he proposed! Steven had planned to use the time as well to take Leanna to different jewelry shops on the ship and the islands to "feel out" what type of ring she may like. Well, after Leanna and Steven both picked out the same ring 4 different times, it was pretty apparent what he was buying. Steven spent most of the next day on the beach talking with his parents and a few friends, trying to decide what to do. Buy the ring and hide it for later, or get it and propose while on the cruise? Eventually, he decided to propose that evening. Steven and Leanna got back on board and had an afternoon snack and hung out by the pools. Eventually, Steven told Leanna to go start getting ready for dinner and he would go get her a milkshake. Instead, he went and bought her ring (and a milkshake). Later, while waiting for dinner Steven and Leanna met up with another couple they met on the beach that day. Steven and the other guy went off to "get some more drinks" for the girls, but they actually went to pick up the ring and planned out how he would propose. They two came back, asked the girls about taking some photos on the staircase in the main atrium. Steven asked the other couple to take a photo of him and Leanna, but instead of a photo, a video would be taken. The wife of the couple taking the video wasn't in on the plan, she was actually getting upset with her husband because he was "doing it wrong" and taking a video instead of the picture! Then, on the count of 3, Steven proposed! Leanna was speechless! Completely caught by surprise and so happy! Everyone cheered, the Cruise Director even saw them from on stage one floor below, made an announcement, and everyone began clapping. Steven and Leanna didn't even realize everyone around them was cheering and clapping for them, they were so caught up in the moment.