Our story started long before our first date when we both attended SIU together. Max’s twin brother became friends with Madi’s roommate in college, so we had mutual friends and hung around the same places, but neither of us remember actually meeting. Madi remembers having a party in college that Max’s brother and best friend went to, but for some reason, Max was not with them that night. Max remembers seeing Madi around Pinch (RIP) and just assumed we had met at some point, but neither of us recall actually meeting. After college, Max moved to Denver and then St. Louis while Madi started her career as a teacher in Southern Illinois. Six years went by. Life kept moving and those missed connections continued. Zach and Madi went on a wine bus together in 2019 when Madi’s college roommate came to visit Carbondale. Max missed that moment too, although he did pick Zach up at the end of the night, totally unaware that he had once again just barely missed meeting the girl he would one day marry. Then one random day, Madi popped up on Max’s Facebook, and he recognized her as Zach’s cute friend from college. After consulting with Zach, he decided to send a very thought out and carefully curated message that said, “Hey Madi, how was your Thanksgiving?” Two weeks later, Madi finally replied that it was good, and the rest, as they say, is history. When we finally did go on our first date, it felt easy. Max picked Madi up, and we went to Buckwater Brewery and then The Underground. We bonded quickly, reminiscing about our time at SIU and how we didn’t recall meeting even though it sounded like our paths would have crossed multiple times. Max was shocked to learn that Madi was from Elkville rather than Murphysboro like he originally thought. Max knew that Madi was the one early in the relationship when he spilled and broke a wine glass at Madi’s apartment and was completely embarrassed. Madi didn’t make it a big deal at all. She cleaned it up, laughed it off, and made him feel like it was nothing. Madi knew that Max was the one shortly after when Max met her beloved Boston Terrier Rizzo (RIP) for the first time. Rizzo was infamous for being a little neurotic and a biter, but he loved Max instantly, and Madi trusted his judgment. A year and a half later, we took a Fourth of July trip to Saugatuck, Michigan with our friends and family. Madi already had a feeling the proposal was coming and jokingly called it The Big Trip. Max proposed on the rooftop of our Airbnb with rose petals on the ground, fireworks in the distance, and the sweet sound of Frost on the Pines by Joe Jordan playing in the background. Now we are planning our destination wedding in Cabo, which everyone has already started calling The Even Bigger Trip. We missed each other more times than we can count, but it is clear that we found each other at exactly the right time. We’re so excited to be getting married in Cabo with our closest friends and family and start our lives together on Laurelwood Lane.