Max and I met in one of the most unexpected ways—through a mix of chance, adventure, and a little bit of fate. For as long as I can remember, I felt this pull toward Alaska. Into the Wild had been one of my favorite books, and I knew one day I’d make it up there. So, when a photography job opened near Denali National Park, I jumped at the opportunity—it was right where I’d always dreamed of going. At the same time, Max had just graduated from flight school and was stationed at his first post in Fairbanks, about two hours from where I’d be living. Feeling excited (and maybe a little nervous) about moving to a new place, I decided to check out a dating app to meet some people in the area. And that’s when Max and I matched. Our first conversation still feels surreal when I think about it. We started talking about music, and somehow Max guessed a song that had just started playing on my end—"Too Sweet" by Hozier. Then, things got even weirder: I guessed the song Max was listening to at that exact moment, and I got it right. From then on, we joked that we must have some kind of psychic connection. For the next month, we talked every day before I even made it to Alaska. When I finally arrived, Max drove two hours just to meet me. That first date made it clear—something special was starting. And from there, the rest is history. Max proposed to me during a Christmas trip to Michigan while visiting his family. On our second day there, he took me on a snowmobile tour of their property, stopping to explore different spots along the way. Our final stop was a place called Three Sisters, where Max told me to check out the red barn. What I didn’t know was that his dad was hiding inside with my camera to capture the moment! I thought he was just out snowmobiling for fun, but he later admitted he’d been panicking because he’d forgotten my camera in the house. When I walked up to the barn, I was so distracted, thinking Max had set me up for his dad to scare me, that I didn’t notice the ring sitting on the windowsill. When I turned back, there was Max, down on one knee, and I was completely surprised!

We’re so excited to invite our family and friends to celebrate with us in Alaska! Denali is such a special place for us—it’s where our paths first crossed and where we fell in love. It just feels right to start this next chapter of our lives in a place that means so much to us. We want our wedding to be uniquely 'us,' and since so many people would have to travel no matter where we had it, we figured, why not make it a bucket list trip? We hope you’ll take in the stunning scenery, the beautiful fall colors, and make some unforgettable memories along the way. It would mean so much to have you there with us!