It was the fall of 2010 and I was living with one of my closest friends, Lindsay in the dorms at VT. Matt and Lindsay went to high school together and after a few run-ins at the dorm, we finally started chatting. At one point in the first few weeks of knowing each other, we found ourselves invited to the same birthday party off campus. I thought things were going well and towards the end of the evening, I tried to kiss Matt in what I thought was the perfect moment... Many of you know this story and I'm about to embarrass myself to everyone who doesn't... Matt rejected my kiss to later tell me that he wanted our first kiss to be more "special" and not at a college house party. We were barely 19, I think a house party first kiss would have been plenty appropriate. *Something* must have worked that night though, and the dining hall dates lead to the numerous late night walks around campus. It didn't take long for us to realize that there was something unique between us.

Maxie likes to tell the story of me rejecting her on my birthday because we can look back on it now--some six and a half years ago--and laugh about it as an engaged couple, deeply in love with each other. It's true, too: that's pretty much how we met. But I think the better story is always how you fell in love. I came to love Maxie as a confidant, a Hokie, a student, a girlfriend, but also as my best friend. I look back at all our major milestones--our challenges and our victories--and always, we were right there next to each other, either cheering the other on or picking the other up. There was always a spark with Max from the moment we met, but we are getting married not because of the initial flame, but in recognition of our journey together so far, our dedication to each other, and our shared hopes for our future.

...According to Matt: I'm going to go right ahead, give you some alternative facts, and tell you that it all went according to plan. That the lead up was perfect, that all the words I wanted to say came out when I needed to say them, and that she said yes (that part is actually true!). Everyone knows life is imperfect, even the best laid plans go to waste, Murphy's law, etc., but I wouldn't have changed a thing. I proposed to Maxie after we had dinner celebrating her birthday at a nice Spanish restaurant in DC. I knew she'd be expecting it at or shortly after dinner, so I had a surprise for her back at our wonderful apartment, which overlooks DC. Thanks to some wonderful helpers (Emmalee and Rachel), we returned to the apartment and were greeted with the shining lights of the city and (perhaps) Maxie's new favorite sparkly-thing, her new ring. Somewhere between the tears and disbelief, I asked her to marry me and she said yes. And that's (mostly) how it happened!