Molly and Justin met in Kansas City in 2014 at Barkley, the creative ad agency they both still work at today. As friends and coworkers, they spent the first five years of their relationship going to Royals games, singing karaoke, debating TV scripts (which Molly usually won), and pretending like they both didn't have huge crushes on each other. For Justin, it was her giant heart, smile, and chocolate chip cookies. For Molly, it was his kindness, sense of humor, and glorious red hair. It wasn’t until February of 2019, after Thai food and a movie night with friends, that they started texting. And never stopped. They would spend the next two years falling in love over homemade pasta, traveling the country, and dozens more of Molly’s chocolate chip cookies.

In 2021, Molly and Justin spent four months traveling the country while working remote. After 121 days on the road, they ended their big adventure in Chicago—just in time for Molly’s 30th birthday. Days before a weekend celebrating with the Griffin and Smith families, Justin surprised Molly with one final adventure: a day in the city, just the two of them. After brunch, exploring the Lincoln Park Zoo, and reminiscing about all their travels, they ended their day at the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pond. There, Justin gave Molly an early birthday present: a handcrafted book with photos, journal entries, inside jokes, and prayers from each of the last 121 days on the road together. They laughed, they cried, until Molly turned to one last photo on the final page: a ring box, day #121. Justin got down on one knee. Molly said yes. And a new adventure began.