We're getting married!

In 2017, Lizz and Mike met through Mike's roommate and Lizz's coworker, Kara. The Grand Avenue Bridge Project was wreaking havoc on the valley's traffic, and Mike and Kara were living in El Jebel - just a few minutes away from Lizz's job. Mike and Lizz became quick friends, discovering a mutual love of sushi, froyo, and Marvel movie marathons. When the bridge was completed, Lizz went back to New Castle and while their friendship continued through check-ins and texts, the two didn't see much of each other. In early September 2018, Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers and the Roaring Fork Conservancy were co-hosting a wetlands restoration camping project on Crooked Creek Pass. Lizz and Mike were there to help with the restoration project for work, and as a bonus, reconnected quickly. After spending some time sitting around the first campfire of a very dry summer, Lizz boldly informed Mike that when they got "back to reality" he should call her and ask her on a date. Much to Lizz's surprise, Mike ignored the 3-day rule and called her the day after the restoration project. The two have been together ever since.

Mike and Lizz decided to live together in 2019. Through mutliple surgeries, job changes, pay cuts, adopting a cat, and the general shenanigans of 2020, Mike and Lizz's relationship flourished and they grew closer. By January of 2021, Mike knew he had found his person (Lizz was already sure). So, Mike began the hardest thing he'd ever done in their relationship - keeping a secret from Lizz. He reached out to her brother and parents in New Jersey, as well as her close friend Anne from California to ask their permission to marry her. From there, a plan was formed for the proposal. 2020 had set Lizz's original birthday plans on fire, so Mike decided to bring the party to her. On her 30th birthday, Mike and Lizz went to Redstone, CO and were promptly ambushed by Troy, Anne, Cait, and Katrina (who took our lovely photos). Spoiler alert - She said yes!