Maddie and Steven met at the end of December 2019: at a NYE party bringing multiple friend groups together in typical SF fashion. When Steven offered to close a door to keep out the chill, Maddie quickly replied, “It’s okay – I’m from Wisconsin.” Only a mild fib (the Californian did go to the University of Wisconsin), but that launched them into a lengthy conversation about their love of the Midwest and the good ol’ college years. With the countdown to midnight on, Steven was the one to drop the ball… and leave for another party he’d committed to. Unsurprisingly, his weeks of texting didn’t land him a date until, thankfully, Maddie was the one to reach out - “So when are we getting those drinks?” Thank you, Tess, for encouraging her to do so! Steven jumped at the opportunity for a first date: Dinner at Isa, 8pm, Thursday. Conversation flowed, leading to a string of dates taking advantage of San Francisco’s restaurants and cozy cocktail bars. This was late-Febrary of 2020, and the pandemic struck just a few weeks later. Drinks on the town suddenly flipped to games of Uno over FaceTime, grilling out in Steven’s backyard, and lots of weekend road trips along the northern California coast. The silver lining of missing trips back to Minnesota was an accelerated meeting of (and embrace from) the Cincebeaux family. First Easter, then birthdays, then family weddings, and finally, figuring out how to help out hosting Cincebeaux family holiday dinners. The pause on travel did mean more than a year together before Steven could take Maddie home to Minnesota to meet the Pipps (for immediate approval). Always competitive, Maddie and Steven continued to push one another as they dated for three years: Survive a Pond Hockey tournament on Lake Nokomis. Run a half marathon at 8k feet. Eat everything on a stick at the Minnesota State Fair. Take the college roommates to all the honky tonks in Nashville. Travel the globe for 10+ weddings. It was clear they could rise to any challenge, but also cherished quiet coffee or wine walks through their Pacific Heights neighborhood as much as any trip. Steven was ready to pop the question Labor Day Weekend in 2023. He planned a detailed trip up the California coast to propose on a weekend getaway to Mendocino. They hadn’t, however, planned on welcoming their first nephew (and now godson!) into the world just the DAY before, and are forever grateful to Emily and Kyle for convincing them to keep their trip. This worked out for the best, as the weekend’s foggy weather broke for a picture-perfect proposal on Saturday September 2nd, and Maddie said yes! Now, months of planning later, we can’t wait to welcome everyone for a weekend of our favorite things: sunny California days, long weekends out of the City, cold beers with old friends, and dancing the night away! We are so beyond thankful to have each of you in our lives. It’s time to celebrate!!! Steven and Maddie