Eddie and Mary Elizabeth both attended Pepperdine University, which is where the two first met. Through their mutual friend, Emily Ferris, the pair met and they all studied in Payson Library together one day during their sophomore year. After that, Eddie transferred to La Sierra University, and Mary Elizabeth continued at Pepperdine. In 2021 when Mary Elizabeth and Emily were living in Indiana and finishing up college online, Eddie reached out to Emily for Mary Elizabeth's phone number. The two chatted on and off, but it wasn't until Pepperdine announced that their 2021 graduates could come back to campus for graduation that Eddie formed a plan. Upon hearing this, he reached out and asked Mary Elizabeth if she'd be in Malibu to attend. The two planned a date for that week that she'd be in town. Fast forward to the week of Mary Elizabeth's graduation, she and Eddie had their first date at sunset on Ralph's beach, by the infamous pink house (iykyk). The next day was the graduation ceremony, after which Eddie invited Mary Elizabeth to a grad party in the evening. However, she had already agreed to go to a grad party with some of her college friends, so she declined. When Mary Elizabeth showed up to her friend Kara's party that evening, Eddie and his friends were also there; they had been talking about the same party! The two spent more time getting to know one another that night, and Eddie called Mary Elizabeth every day from then on, from May until August. In August, Eddie flew to Charleston, SC, to visit Mary Elizabeth for her 22nd birthday. The two barely knew one another, but Eddie stayed at her childhood home and met her parents. Mary and Eddie roadtripped to Nashville, TN, later that week to visit Mary Elizabeth's friends who lived there, Kara and Emily. Little did the couple know, they would eventually move to Nashville, as well. After making it official on August 6, 2021, Mary Elizabeth and Eddie took turns visiting each other in CA or TN from month to month, making the most of their time and travels together. In 2022, Eddie was offered a position at Vanderbilt University, and he made the move out to TN the following month. The rest is history!