We first met in 2009 during the Summer Stage show High School Musical 2! We were friends for the summer, but did not continue contact until Angie started at Upper Darby High in 2010 where our friendship grew (though Angie may not fully recall because she thought MacKenzie was too cool to be friends with her, Mackenzie fully remembers this friendship). Our friendship continued through the years meeting back up for SS events, including when MacKenzie music directed Angie as Pocahontas (she was super nervous to have MacKenzie give her vocal direction). Fast forward to January 2019 at the To Fill the World with Love Day performance, Angie saw MacKenzie in the PAC lobby and asked to sit next to her. Slowly during the performance we slid closer to one another until MacKenzie rested her head on Angie's shoulder...And the rest was history! We have been inseparable ever since!

A few months into dating MacKenzie we went on our first of many trips to the Art Museum. On this unusually warm day we sat behind the Art Museum overlooking Boathouse Row. We watched as they set up for a wedding at the Water Works. While we chatted and laughed the day away we suddenly heard the DJ testing the sound system for the wedding and the song "Say you Won't Let Go" by James Arthur quietly played over the lawn. We sang along, harmonizing (her better than me, of course) as we looked into each others eyes. It was in that moment that I knew I wanted to spend my forever with her and this is where I was going to propose. The Fall of 2021 came around and it was about time I ask her parents for their blessing. On our way to the weekend with her family where I planned to ask, MacKenzie turned to me and jokingly said "you're going to ask my parents if you can marry me this weekend aren't you". Imagine the nerves I had after that! I had spent months throwing her off the trail and telling her we wouldn't be engaged until the Spring at least because I had called dibs on proposing first! October 2nd comes around, and I told MacKenzie we would be having dinner with a friend and watching the sunset behind the museum. Usually, she is running late, but somehow on this day she was a half hour early getting ready requiring me to stall for time. While waiting for the Uber MacKenzie looked down at her freshly polished nails and said "they look really good today, but they're a little naked *gestures to ring finger*". (to this day I believe she knew it was coming). I took her to our favorite spot to watch the sunset and turned on the song. I finally got down on one knee and asked her. When she said yes, our families that were hidden in a gazebo let out a yell and she turned to see them in complete surprise! It was so magical though, every day with MacKenzie feels like a dream come true! I can't wait to celebrate the start to our forever so soon!

I may have had to wait for my turn to propose, but I started planning my proposal around the same time Angie called dibs. I started writing letters to her--records of big moments and little memories--but never showed them to her. Instead, I collected them in a journal, and scattered pictures throughout the pages. My plan was to leave the journal for Angie where she could find it, while I made her breakfast in bed, and I would return as she was reading the letters. Instead, Angie woke up before me (which never happens) and kept insisting on making me coffee. I managed to convince her to stay in bed and hang out, and at that point, I'm sure Angie knew something was going on. By the time I brought coffee up for Angie, she was halfway through the journal. My heart was racing, and I kept looking over her shoulder to see how close she was to the final letter. When she reached the end, I took the journal to read the last letter, my proposal. I had a pretty good idea of Angie's answer--my odds were far better than most people who pop the question--but my heart was racing all the same. Would she like the letters? Would she hate the ring? Would she change her mind? When she said yes, I felt like I could fly. It may not have gone exactly as planned, but it was perfect all the same.