Our Okoboji Wedding

We met like any normal couple in 2014; on Tinder! They matched less than a mile away, while Cory visiting Omaha and Madison was living in the Aksarben area. After a few strategic pickup lines, Cory was able to snag Madison's number through the app. It was not so easy after that. Madison proceeded to dodge Cory's requests to meet in person at least five times (but who was counting?). Just about the time Cory's attempts were approaching borderline pathetic, they found each other less than one mile apart again, half a block away actually. Madison agreed to meet up at Liv Lounge for one hour and one friendly drink. Cory and Madison proceeded to spend nearly six hours talking about everything under the sun and eventually asked kindly to leave the bar by the staff, so they could close up. One ironic topic they spent a lot of time conversing on was, "How much we did not want to be in a relationship because we were so focus on our careers." Needless to say, this shared opinion was one of the things that brought Cory and Madison together and they walked/ran down those paths together from that point on!

Let's face it, if anyone wanted to make a big deal out of anything - with friends, with family, or pull off flashy public scenes - 2020 was NOT having it! That said, Cory was determined to give Madison an unforgettable proposal...it only took 10 months and 3 canceled, elaborate plans to get there. We won't cover all the previous plans, it is still painful to think about for Cory, but some involved a fake lifestyle photoshoot for a new boat, guided trek through the mountains on horseback to a hidden warming shed, and a fake escape room. COVID and wild fires said, "Thanks for playing though." Finally, Madison had cabin fever and we had to take a quick trip in November. We decided to go to Colorado, which was actually the first road trip and vacation we ever took together 6 years before. Cory was bound and determined to use this trip to pop the question. We agreed we wanted to go on the same hike we has done years prior and Cory knew exactly the spot to get down on one knee from pictures they had taken before. 2020 also said "nope" to that because right as we got to the exact spot, gale force winds rolled in and made it too dangerous to stand on the cliff Cory planned on (not THAT big of a cliff, Moms). We retreated back down the way we came and as we got out of the intense wind there was a picturesque, snow-covered wooden bridge that made for the perfect last-minute plan. Thanks to our friends, Ben and Jenny, Madison thought we were just posing for a quick picture, when Cory pulled out the ring he had in a [very secure] pocket. He asked, then she cursed...and then she said YES!