Sean and Alyssa swiped their future into existence on Sean’s birthday, June 29th of last year. They’re bonding over messaging began by sharing about their love for kids… Alyssa being a teacher, Sean a former teacher, and proud uncles and aunts to their nieces and nephews. Per the theme of their relationship, things moved quickly. It didn’t take long for dating app messages to move to texts, to move to their first meeting at Alyssa’s house over snacks and homemade blueberry gin cocktails. Alyssa was taken back by how handsome and tall Sean was! Sean’s first meeting was captured when Alyssa introduced a simple question-and-answer card game. The rules were quite easy- if a black card was drawn, Sean got to ask Alyssa a question, and the reverse if a red card was drawn. For their first “official” date, Sean planned a Friday evening to the Riverside Food Trucks on a warm summer night. After the food truck meal, they proceeded to a surprise event. They drove to an indoor dog park which made Alyssa very confused. “Why are we going to a dog park?” she thought. As they walked inside, Alyssa pointed at an image of a dog on one of the tables that looked a lot like Benny, Alyssa’s golden retriever. After introducing themselves to the instructor, the instructor led the two to the very table with the dog resembling Benny. Turns out, the image was indeed Benny! A Paint-Your-Pet class was about to start. She used the image (sent to instructor by Sean ahead of the event) to paint a canvas painting of Benny that evening. Alyssa was captivated by Sean’s thoughtfulness. Another very special date included a Saturday beach trip to Lake Michigan. Singing karaoke in the car ride there, soaking up the sun, sharing fresh summer fruit and veggie snacks, and swimming in the water together was a memory of pure bliss and connection for both of them. It was around this time in their sequence of dates that they both knew there was something very special—and not at all random—about having met. Sean was drawn to Alyssa’s ability to hold great conversations, her contagious humor, the kindness she showed to both friends and strangers, and the thoughtfulness and care she brought into everything she did. Alyssa was enamored by the many little things Sean did to make her feel special, the love and care he showed to the important people in his life, his passion for music and dancing, and the way he communicated with her— making her feel seen, heard, encouraged, and valued. Thus began the adventures. They attended Alyssa’s friend Hannah’s wedding, where Sean met Alyssa’s family. They set out on a canoeing and camping trip—which Alyssa’s father likes to say is “the true test of a relationship: surviving a canoe trip together.” Their first big road trip took them to Iowa to visit Alyssa’s friend Jenny and her family. Alyssa also joined Sean on his family’s annual tradition of traveling to Kentucky—just a few of the many adventures they embarked on during those early stages of dating. Alyssa and Sean are in complete awe of one another and truly love being together. While they don’t always do things the same way or share the same opinions, they navigate their differences with respect and care. Each day, they find themselves deeply grateful to have found one another. Life has felt more alive since they met. These days, you can find them going on morning or evening walks with Benny, working in the yard, spending time with family and friends, jiving to music, and dancing whenever the right song strikes. And of course, the unique balance of Sean loving to cook and Alyssa loving to clean makes it feel even more meant to be. Sean and Alyssa thank you for being a part of their lives leading them to this very moment. They are so excited to celebrate with you on their wedding day and beginning of their marriage. Cheers to a love story that is just beginning!