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August 2022 Nikki and Ollie first met in State College, PA—known to many as the home of Penn State University. Whether it was the British charm or the nerve-settling G&Ts before, the date was a success and morphed into a whistlestop tour of the town with Nikki acting as local tour guide. Following the style of glamourous date that has defined their relationship (endless laughs, great chat, and several “one more?” moments, all over the background sounds of one sport or another), they officially became a couple and have never looked back. August 2023 The next year began very differently. Nikki was settling into life in Memphis, TN as a professor, while Ollie was in full game-time mode, hoping to land a job before finishing his MBA. What followed likely surprised many (including them). Miles piled up—by plane, car, bus, and train—but so did certainty. Through commuting adventures and time zones, they learned that their partnership could flourish and put down roots, even knowing that “one place forever” was unlikely to be their story. July 2024 What initially felt like a surprising chain of events turned out to be pure kismet: Ollie secured a job in a city Nikki had recently fallen in love with. Chicago officially became Ollie’s home base, and the next chapter in their shared story began. Spring 2025 The back-and-forth finally came to an end when Nikki packed up her Memphis apartment and Carl made his final Memphis → Chicago road trip. A few belongings were lovingly purged in the process, but together they built a cozy, high-rise home that reflects them both and includes a much-appreciated second bedroom for hosting family and friends scattered across the globe. January 2026 After what has been described as the most first-world, middle-class, last-minute holiday plan change ever, they traded Colorado for Whistler in search of snow for their long-awaited first ski trip together. Such spontaneity had thrown Ollie’s carefully orchestrated plans for proposal into disarray. New romantic walking routes were sought, Canadian customs regulations for gummy bears assessed, and finally the revised plans were finalised. Of course this level of preparation still failed to anticipate Nikki's desire to take the bus instead of walking! Luckily, the back-up location wasn’t too bad. April 9, 2026 Nikki and Ollie officially tied the knot at Chicago City Hall and shared their vows beneath the beautiful landscape of the Chicago Botanic Gardens, cementing the city as their ultimate “our place.”