Madeline (Maddie) and Owen met at their local grocery store, Crozet Market, in 2021. It wasn't until the summer of 2022 that they worked a couple of afternoon/evening shifts together where Maddie noticed little Owen. 17-year-old Owen memorized each weekly schedule and took any opportunity to come in the store when Maddie worked, whether it was for a gallon of milk, sweet tea, lemonade, or starbursts. He visited so often that Maddie looked forward to his drop-by every shift. Little homeschooled Maddie was left questioning her little prairie values when feelings of youthful teenage angst swept her up. She was 21 at the time. That summer of 2022 took an unexpected turn as Owen and Maddie willingly accepted deli positions while their managers were on leave. Both were taken aback by the romantic nature of deli work, that by the end of week two, Owen asked Maddie for a date of ice cream at Crozet Creamery. Owen asked many times, but being an inexperienced 17-year-old, The Graduate had to ask multiple times, each time more blatant. Within that first week of dating, Maddie and Owen saw each other after every shift and practically every day, smitten with the other. With Owen's family living 10 minutes apart from Madeline's, it wasn't long before both their families found out about their new relationship. Both Maddie and Owen were familiar with the other's family by cashier-customer acquaintances. Within three weeks of dating, Owen had met all of Maddie’s family and vice versa. Although Maddie had to leave for Bridgewater College one month after dating, the distance didn't matter and they grew in their relationship with plans of getting married the summer they met. Yet after three years of patience they have waited so that they could celebrate with you this summer of 2026. In the meantime, enjoy the picture below – Owen and Madeline’s first ever picture together (date #3)