We had a very modern day meet cute - a little app called Hinge. Our story began on October 8th, 2021 at Zeppelin! It all started with sushi, a rooftop nightcap, and scoring the last six-pack of Oberon at the corner store. We chatted (and laughed) nonstop, only to realize eight hours had passed. From the very beginning, Grant set the bar high for our dates — from luxury store openings and ice skating at the Sculpture Garden to festive German Christmas Markets. At home, he impressed with his signature steak frites, flambé and all, with the fire alarm chiming in for dramatic effect. As our story grew, so did our list of shared favorites. Grant brought Darla, tennis, Charlottesville, and his incredible crew of friends and family into the mix. Mackenzie introduced her own circle of friends and family, her famous puppy chow recipe and love of NoThai, themed parties, cozy coffee shops, and eventually East Lansing. Blending our favorite people, places, and traditions has been one of the best parts of our journey. Fast forward almost three years, and on October 5th, 2024 Grant proposed to Mackenzie. Almost 9 months in the making, Grant managed to keep it a surprise from Mackenzie, proposing on top of the Kennedy Center- the site of more than a few of our dates and with a view of our favorite city. After the proposal, we went to grab a drink at Zeppelin- the place where it all started- and Mackenzie had another surprise waiting, an engagement party with family, DC friends, and even some out of town friends! Over the past four years, our relationship has turned into something amazing: endless love, nonstop laughter, and more than our fair share of sweet treats. Our adventures have been better than we could have ever planned (and if you know us, you know we love to plan). From our very first trip to Charlottesville to across the country in San Diego, from seeing our first moose and elk in Denver to eating only ceviche (and a few shots of Pepto for Grant) in Panama, from petting stingrays in the Cayman Islands to taking a leap of faith and going to Antarctica on a weeks notice and doing a polar plunge, and from feeding wombats in Tasmania to visiting friends Down Under, our journey has taken us all over the world. We’ve had some pretty awesome adventures, but if you ask us, some of our favorite moments have been some of the little, ordinary moments, like when we’re sitting around our condo and can’t stop laughing or our morning walks to Mackenzie’s work. The best part of every adventure is being able to do it hand in hand, side by side. We can’t wait to bring all of our favorite people together in one place for an unforgettable weekend!