We met in 2019 at a restaurant & brewery called Steele & Hops in Santa Rosa, where we were both regulars. After we met, Mackenzie began training as a trivia host at Third Street Aleworks, where Tyler worked. We became acquaintances and eventually befriended each other on social media. Fast forward to March, 2020... Tyler, thinking lockdown was only going to last a couple weeks, started talking to Mackenzie, hoping to hang out when the lockdown ended. That did not happen quite like he thought.... As lockdown continued, we talked every day and eventually went on multiple virtual dates. That's when Tyler hit her with the one-liner: "If Covid doesn't take you out, can I?" And believe it or not, that worked! We started going steady even before hanging out in person. We decided to enter each other's "Covid bubble" and date in person and the rest, as they say, is history!

It happened on the beach in Maui... Mackenzie's dad had proposed to her mom in the Hawaiian islands. Knowing this, when Tyler joined the Millers/Whitesides for their first trip back to Maui since Jim's passing, he planned something special. On our way to lunch one day, we stopped to take pictures on the beach, first Kelsey and Chris, then Mac and Tyler. As Mackenzie began to walk back towards the restaurant, Tyler grabbed her hand and got on one knee! He said that he wanted to do it in a place similar to where her parents got engaged, especially because we weren't sure if we would be going back (we will!!). Everyone was in on it and she had no idea!