THE FIRST MULE *Told from Erica's perspective Imagine this: It’s a hot September morning OSU game day and you tag along with your roommate to a house party across the street. You’re greeted by someone who introduces himself as “Branko” and he has you try a sip of a Moscow mule for the first time. It’s exquisite. He happily takes you inside to make you one and you learn he has a creature called an axolotl in his room. This boy is getting interesting. You hold his legs up for a keg stand and are having an absolute blast, only to realize a few hours later that you have lost your ticket to the game. SAD! Just when you think it’s going to end there, his roommate offers you his ticket (shout out to Will!). You go to the game together and have a blast. By the next month you’re calling your mom & telling her you’re going to a fraternity formal in Oglebay, WV with this Branko character. You start dating two months after that first mule and the rest is history :)

THE PROPOSAL *Told from Nick/Branko's perspective Details to know before the Proposal Day: -I started guitar lessons in February and kept it a secret from Erica -I received her parents’ permission to propose in April -I told Erica ~1 month in advance that I was hosting a barn party on June 16th -Before the barn party, we planned on eating dinner at my parents house -Erica’s birthday is March 25th. I hinted that I had a late birthday present for her -Erica wanted to be surprised by the proposal -My mom set out a gift bag and my guitar on the shared driveway. She also left my jacket (with the ring) hanging on the gator in the barn. The execution for the proposal started around 4:00pm on Friday June 16th. I told Erica that I had to speak with Ty Shepfer’s (Senior Lecturer at The Ohio State University and Head of the Honors Cohort Program) regarding the Honors Cohort Program. I lied, I did not do this, I just needed an excuse to wear khakis and a button up shirt without hinting that there was a proposal in the works. I arrived at Erica’s apartment at 5:00pm. I told Erica that my parents were making dinner so we could eat at my house before the barn party. I stalled till 7:00pm (the time the photographer arrived at my parents house), and we departed. The ride to my parents house was uneventful; the ride along the shared driveway was the opposite. As I approached where my mom had placed the gift bag on the shared driveway, I saw my neighbor Carson (wearing an iron man singlet) holding the bag. Without hesitating, I looked at Erica and said, “I wonder what this is about?” I hopped out of the car and walked over to Carson. I looked him in the eye and said, “don’t give this away, I am proposing to Erica, and I need this bag.” Carson’s eyes widened and he started to apologize, but Erica hopped out of the car before he could say anything. When Erica approached, we peered through the gift bag together and found a card addressed to Erica. Carson then took this as his opportunity to leave since the missing bag found its owner. Erica opened the card. It said two things: 1. Pick a song 2. Go to the barn I asked Erica to pick a song. She said, “That song I like, but I never remember the name.” I walked Erica over to a secluded part of the shared driveway where my guitar was laying next to some logs where we could sit. I explained that I had been taking guitar lessons to surprise her for her birthday; and therefore, this was her belated birthday present. We then sang the song while I played it on guitar. Afterwards, we walked to the barn as the card instructed. Here, Erica expected everyone to be in the barn for the party. However, when we entered, the barn was empty. I had an Ipad laying on the table with a birthday bow on top of it. Erica opened up the Ipad and saw a 10 minute video titled “Erica’s Late Birthday Present.” We sat down and watched the video. After the video concluded, Erica gave me a big hug and a thank you. She really fell for the late birthday present trick. She started to make a move to exit the barn so we could go eat dinner with my parents, but I said, “Did you really think I did this for your late birthday?” She nodded her head confused as I put on a jacket that was hanging on the gator. I said, “Let’s go through the barn doors, I like to make an entrance.” I opened up the barn doors and moved Erica to the location the photographer recommended for the proposal site. Here, I started to tell Erica how much I love her and that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. She started to hyperventilate. I calmed her down and finished saying what I had prepared and dropped down to one knee and asked if she would marry me. SHE SAID YES. And to top off the proposal story, I told her I had one more surprise. I turned to the house and waved. Both my family and her family (from Philadelphia) came outside to celebrate with us.