Dave and Natalie met during orientation week in first year university, living in the same small residence of only 40 people. Not long after meeting, Dave’s intuition and confidence (and some could argue manifestation) had him explicitly determining Natalie as the one, but this would not be apparent until much later. Throughout first year they built a friendship through working together on house council, consistent Wednesday dinners, and some subtle (and some might say flirtatious), acts to constantly be in each other’s minds. From Disney movie nights, forgetting items in respective rooms, and from practicing the dirty dancing lift (that would go on to be a centerpiece of a school event) they weaved a tapestry of friendship where they could be with each other without knowing the impact of the future to come. A specific date sticks out to Dave and Natalie, January 11th 2015, a year and several months after meeting. Not only is this Dave’s birthday, but it is the day their lives changed as they shared their first kiss, on a dance floor (one of Dave’s favourite spots) at a location that is classified with high level security clearance. It took until April 29th to make their relationship official after a few months of courting, hangouts, awkward “is-this-a-date?”s and subconsciously constructing the beginning of a lifetime partnership. For the remaining years of school, they enjoyed living close to each other in Waterloo and having amazing roommates that were great friends to both Dave and Natalie alike. Their love was nurtured, practiced and supported as they finished University together. Upon graduation, Dave and Natalie made the decision to move back to their respective home towns of Hamilton and Bradford as they entered their post-university lives. Although it may not seem like long distance (125kms apart), they spent so much time within walking distance, that this was arguably their first big challenge to endure. Many late-night drives, Dave converting Natalie into enjoying phone calls over texts, and weekends dedicating to each other’s presence they managed indeed. They both learned valuable lessons in independency and individuality that added a maturity to their relationship. These two years of “long distance” dating helped prepare them for when they would take the next step of moving in together in Toronto on June 15th 2019. Over the last 5 years, Dave and Natalie have focused on their interests, personal development and experiencing life together. They have a shared passion to see the world and has brought them to many wonderful places including Hawaii, Curaçao, Africa, Italy, Spain and France to name a few. They supported each other through further schooling and through multiple career moves as they grew in their professional lives. They balanced work, family time, being an aunt and uncle, their long-held friendships and their individual conquests, all while cultivating a long-lasting love; a stability they have and will rely on to face any obstacle in their path. In April of 2023, Dave and Natalie took a trip to France, one of Natalie’s favourite places in the world. After a few days exploring the beauty of Paris, Dave surprised Natalie with a private Champagne tour in Epernay (within the Champagne region) and where Dave got on his knee, blacked out, and finally asked for Natalie’s hand in marriage. She said YES. From this moment on, Dave and Natalie continue to enjoy their love, experience life and eagerly await a day of celebration with all the important members of their lives. Every day they reflect on how they got to today but most importantly they continue to dream of the moments, events, stories and life they will share in the years to come.