We first met during our freshman year of high school in band class. Sam played the trumpet, and Nina played the flute, which meant we sat far apart—but just at the right angle to make silly faces at each other across the room. Our friendship truly began in geometry class, where Sam would often attempt to help Nina figure out what was going on (though sometimes, Nina may have pretended to be confused 😉). Over the years, we became best friends, spending countless hours together in band, marching band, show choir/band, and hanging out with our close-knit friend group outside of school. What Nina didn't realize was that Sam was secretly harboring feelings for her. He made several brave attempts to express those feelings, but Nina either friend-zoned him on the spot or was too oblivious to notice his intentions (poor Sam!). It wasn’t until the summer before our senior year that Nina finally fell for Sam. She was drawn to his kindness, humor, and devotion to the Lord. She decided to take a chance and asked Sam to attend homecoming with her. Throughout the night, Nina tried to hold his hand on multiple occasions, but this time, Sam was the oblivious one! On the way home, with one last bit of courage, Nina rested her head on Sam's shoulder—and in that moment, everything just felt right. Soon after that we started dating, prioritizing God first and foremost in our relationship. We both attended Iowa State University and SALT Company, a religious organization on campus where our faith grew exponentially. Our relationship has blossomed throughout college into something very beautiful. Today, we have been together for 4.5 years; we are best friends and are more in love than we've ever been. We are so grateful to God for the ways He has moved in both our lives. We are forever thankful to have such wonderful family and community support, and we are so excited to celebrate our marriage with you! Love, Sam & Nina