On Father's Day 2018 at Assumption Parish, Mary Kate's Grandma saw Chris walk into Mass and greet his dad with a pat on the back and "a happy father's day." She was so impressed at the greeting that she stopped Chris after Mass to ask him if he was married. When he chuckled that he wasn't, she told him she had a granddaughter and suggested he give her a call. An embarrassed aunt of Mary Kate's pulled her away before she could give him Mary Kate's number. Luckily, Chris had seen Mary Kate sing at Mass before and had been to a Bible Study with her brother. After doing a little digging on Facebook, he found Mary Kate and decided to reach out. Their first date was June 25, 2018 and the rest, as they say, is history.

On a beautiful day in April, Chris and Mary Kate drove with his sister, brother-in-law, and nephew to Grafton, IL. Chris had told Mary Kate that they were going meet his Uncle Kenny there and explore the town. As they drove to Grafton, they stopped in a general store in a little town called Elsah. Chris and Mary Kate had made this trip before, and had stopped in that very town. In fact, it was there on a bench that overlooked the river where Chris first told Mary Kate he was falling in love with her and Mary Kate admitted the same. Chris suggested they go visit that same bench to reminisce. Chris made a beautiful proclamation of love as he proposed to Mary Kate, she ugly cried, and said YES! After some pictures to capture the moment, they got back in the car and drove to Grafton where Chris had invited both of their families for a celebration at a winery. It was the perfect day.