Matthew and Elizabeth met through mutual friends while living in Albany, New York. Matthew lived with one of Elizabeth’s coworkers, who invited him to hang out with the group one evening. It was that evening that Elizabeth learned of Matthew’s dream to be an electrician – and that he was an exceptional dancer! Elizabeth and Matthew met a few times in group settings afterwards, but it wasn’t until about a year later he expressed his interest in Elizabeth. They spent a whole summer going on dates and learning about each other. However, Matthew had been accepted to begin an apprenticeship in Austin, Texas and planned to move. Although a long-distance relationship would be difficult, they had realized being apart would be impossible. They would spend hours on facetime, send playlists to each other, and plan trips to see each other. During their long-distance era, Elizabeth made a list of various education policy PhD programs all over the country she was interested in. Ultimately, she chose and applied to one program that aligned perfectly with her professional and personal interests at the University of Texas at Austin. Matthew and Elizabeth are both scheduled to finish their respective programs in 2025. This next year marks major milestones in their professional and personal lives. They are deeply honored to share and celebrate their love with their closest friends and family.

"I asked Liz to marry me at the Sekrit Theatre in Austin, Texas. I had been planning this night for a couple of months. It was truly one of the happiest days of my life. I remember how excited and nervous I was the day of the proposal. As we were getting dressed to 'go out to dinner,' the rain started to come down really hard. Liz looked so incredibly beautiful in her pink floral dress. As we pulled into the neighborhood where the Sekrit Theatre was, Liz seemed a little confused. Choosing a place neither of us had visited in Austin was a perfect surprise. We arrived at the entrance just as the rain was starting to calm down. The greenhouse house looked so incredibly beautiful as we walked into the Sekrit Theatre backyard. Candles were lining the walkway leading to a table with champagne and a 'Marry Me' sign. My heart was beating so fast. Music from our long distance playlist started to play in the background. This was the moment I had been imagining for so long. I got down on one knee and asked Liz to marry me. She said yes! The ring looked perfect on her hand too. We popped the champagne and the photographer took some pictures. I had finally asked my best friend to marry me! I was overjoyed and so full of love. When you’ve met that special person everything just falls into place."