So… we will be honest! We are victims of meeting on a dating app (Hinge), but here’s a little more about how it all happened. Back at the end of April 2023, Max and I matched on Hinge. The texts exchanged were pretty back-and-forth instantly, and with both of our busy schedules at the time, we couldn’t align on a time to go on a first date. However, we communicated pretty frequently throughout the months of April and May. Fast forward to the first week of June — I’m at the gym and, randomly out of nowhere, Max calls me and asks to take me on a date that night. My schedule was free, and I liked how he called me to ask instead of texting, so I agreed. We went on our first date on June 6th, 2023, at HG Supply Co. in Dallas — and the rest is history!!! The night was so effortlessly easy for the both of us, and we stayed at the restaurant for four hours talking, laughing, and aligning on so many things. After HG Supply Co., neither of us wanted the date to end, so we went and got Jeni’s ice cream. After leaving the date, it felt like we had known each other forever, and we instantly couldn’t stop talking about how easy it felt to be around each other. The next few weeks, we saw each other any chance that we could and literally spent the rest of the summer together! Fast forward to the beginning of August, when Max called me at work one day and told me hockey was taking him to Germany for the next season. I was obviously so excited for him and his hockey career, but I was also so worried at the time about us — because we both really liked each other. On August 2nd, the morning before Max packed up and flew to Germany for his hockey season, we made it a point to have breakfast together that morning (Max is not a morning person!!! So this was HUGE lol). And in that booth at the breakfast spot, he officially asked me to be his girlfriend, and we decided that we were both going to do the long-distance thing and make it work. Since I was a flight attendant, I ended up spending tons and tons of time with him in Germany that hockey season — staying there for long stretches at a time — and then flying back home to catch up on my flight hours. I don’t think either of us knew what we were getting ourselves into, but we quickly realized how much we cared for each other and that this was the real deal. Fast forward almost three years later, and we are getting married! After traveling to so many incredible places together, living abroad together in Slovakia and Italy (who knows where to next!), spending holidays apart from our families, and watching countless hockey games, we have always agreed that “home” is with each other. Our life is a little untraditional, but we absolutely love it and are so grateful to have each of you in our corner. We truly cannot wait to officially tie the knot and see all of our people together in one weekend. We appreciate each and every one of you! — Madi and Max