Our story began six years ago, thanks to Tinder. At the time, Matty was visiting the KC area, training to become a train engineer. He was on the lookout for a good dive bar and barbecue, and Allison offered just the place: Hi Dive on 39th Street, home of the "mystery beer machine." That night, we talked about all the things you’re probably not supposed to dive into on a first date—family, faith, politics, our hopes and dreams for the future, and everything in between. We ended the night at Chez Charlie, dancing under Christmas tinsel while a DJ played old soul records. That night, over horsefeathers and soul music, we both knew we were in trouble. We spent the next six months in a long-distance relationship, bridging the gap between Kansas and Seattle. Then, when Matty was furloughed from the railroad, he took a huge leap and drove all the way from Seattle to Lawrence to be together and see where life would take us. Bold? Absolutely. Worth it? A thousand times yes. Fast forward a few months, and the world shut down, but we found a rhythm together. Since then, we’ve shared one apartment, two houses, and countless memories. On New Year’s Eve 2023, Matty proposed at a snowy cabin in Truckee, CA during a holiday trip to visit his parents in Northern California. He surprised Allison by inviting her parents to join in the festivities too, and we celebrated the night with good food, wine, and sing-alongs with both our families. These days, Matty and Allison both work remotely, Allison as a communications and advocacy consultant and Matty for a restaurant software company. We live near downtown Lawrence with our cat, Maurice. Our favorite ways to spend time together are grabbing a glass of bubbly at The Bourgeois Pig, catching live music, playing a lively round of dominoes, hosting dinner parties, and taking road trips. We're beyond excited to honeymoon in October of 2025 in France, a special place for us since Allison spent over a decade of her childhood there. Thank you for being a part of our love story. We can’t wait to celebrate with you all on May 24th!