Mariah and Brad's love story began in 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. They were introduced through the popular right swipe dating app and the rest was history. On their first date, Brad picked Mariah up at her doorstep thinking he was going to order them an Uber to dinner. Instead, Mariah insisted on walking two miles to dinner in the snow. Brad knew while they were walking in the snow that Mariah was going to be someone special in his life. Their first date was filled with laughter while enjoying tacos, tamales, and margaritas at Taco Joint in Lincoln Park. Brad enjoyed dinner so much that the following morning he texted Mariah and asked her to get breakfast. Mariah agreed to meet him and they have been inseparable ever since. After dating in Chicago for a few months, Brad was offered a new position in Columbus, Ohio. They took a leap of faith and decided to date long distance. Eventually, Mariah packed her bags and moved to Columbus too. It was the best decision they have ever made!

Mariah and Brad knew they found their forever after four and a half years of dating. Brad knew when he proposed that he would be doing this in Chicago. Proposing in the city where they met and where their love story began was very important to him. During a pandemic, planning a weekend getaway was tough but he found an opening when she scheduled a haircut in Chicago. He knew it would be the perfect opportunity to pop the question. Brad planned the whole proposal around what she thought was just a quick haircut and color. While Mariah was at her appointment, Brad checked into The LondonHouse, a hotel Mariah always dreamed of staying at. After checking in, he headed to Navy Pier and scouted out the best location to propose. He picked a spot near the Ferris wheel, with a skyline view and asked two Navy Pier workers to capture the moment when she arrived. After Mariah’s appointment, Brad ordered her an Uber to eat lunch at Navy Pier. Little did she know, Brad didn't actually plan on eating, he had bigger plans. When Mariah arrived to Navy Pier, Brad walked her towards the Ferris Wheel and asked her if she wanted to take a picture. He handed his phone to the same workers he talked to earlier and as Mariah began to pose for a picture Brad got down on one knee and proposed. Without hesitation Mariah said, "YES, YES!" After taking in the city views as a newly engaged couple, Brad had more surprises up his sleeve. He surprised her with an extra night in the city and walked her to the hotel of her dreams. When she opened the door there were heart petals, candles, and champagne waiting. Also, he had dresses, heels, and jewelry all laid out for the night ahead. He had reservations already booked at Tavern on Rush, located on their favorite street in Chicago. They had their own private terrace overlooking Rush Street, while enjoying delicious food, wine, and the best dessert ever. Brad made all of Mariah's "proposal dreams" come true!