getting married

Olivia and Dorion met in university through mutual friends and had a couple classes in those first few years together.

Dorion (who didn't drink coffee at the time) was desperate for a job and Olivia (who also used to not drink coffee) got him a gig working at the same Starbucks together. Dorion promptly missed his first shift and Olivia found him, picked him up, and dropped him off at work to save face.

Olivia and Dorion both began their studies in Arts and Science but mere months after Olivia transferred to the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology she convinced Dorion to as well and they never looked back.

At the beginning of the new year Olivia moved into the spare room in Dorion's condo and despite being friends for years it was only then that they started to get to know each other better.

During their summertime annual friend group camping trip to Ness Creek Dorion and Olivia found each other under the stars and knew there was something more between them.

Testing their bond right away Olivia and Dorion embarked on a road trip to David Thompson County in Alberta. On the first (cold and rainy) night, Dorion climbed around the side of the mountain in crocs to tie up their food bag... in vain. To his surprise, the rope for securing the food bag had snapped, and in an attempt to tie it up regardless he dropped it off the side of a cliff and into the rushing ravine below. The next morning, hungry and tired, Olivia and Dorion found the somewhat intact remains of their food bag but were unable to continue on their hike as planned. Use this as a reminder to never pack camping food in glass jars..

After a few tentative months Dorion and Olivia officially began their relationship in September.

They decided working together, living together, and taking all the same classes simply wasn't enough... so they spent the first six weeks of their summer digging the same hole everyday for their field school. During the following school year they would run the Anthropology Student Association with friends they met during field school.

2023 proved to be a year filled with the most adventures yet. They kicked off their travels with a road trip to Alberta with Dorion's grandparents to go skiing at Nakiska, a trip filled with Olivia screaming her way down the hill and Dorion laughing behind her. In the Spring they embarked on their biggest journey yet -- a road trip from Saskatoon all the way to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Travelling there and back (with a few stops along the way) took most of May and they got to visit family and see friends along the way.

Being crazy, Olivia and Dorion scheduled their first official archaeology job where they would relocate to Red Lake, Ontario for the summer to begin just four days after finishing their road trip. The time in between was spent hurriedly packing, last minute shopping, and getting in a few more memories with family and friends before their next adventure. They got to their new home for the next ten weeks after a long 15 hour drive where they were greeted by their new crew who, unbeknownst to them at the time, would eventually become lifelong friends.

After finishing their studies Olivia and Dorion, along with their families, attended their convocation on June 4th where they were both awarded a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree with High Distinction in Archaeology. Dorion being the go-getter also received his Certificate in Indigenous Governance and Politics.

During their most recent trip to Ness Creek Olivia and Dorion found themselves away from the main stage on Friday night where all their friends were busy dancing the night away. Sitting on two chairs that had been abandoned under a covered structure they cherished the precious alone time together. They had been working remote jobs for different companies since the Spring sometimes resulting in them being five provinces apart, where they went many weeks without being home or seeing one another. Reflecting on their love and the history of their relationship the conversation seamlessly flowed into planning their future, a conversation they'd had countless times before. Stricken with adoration and perfect circumstance they shared a realization that mostly excited and a little frightened them to acknowledge. Hands clasped and holding each other's gaze Olivia broke the silence asking "does this mean we're getting engaged right now?" to which Dorion smiled responding "yes I think it does". Later, emerging from their engagement, the pair joined their friends at the campsite where they would keep their secret hidden until weeks later. Along the way however, steps from their chairs, their conversation slowed as they tuned into the music for the first time that night and heard the lyrics "I'm going to marry my best friend".