Eric and Amanda met in the summer of 2015, playing volleyball at Park Point with a group of mutual friends. It can't quite be referred to as "love at first sight," though, because Eric doesn't even remember it. Later that year, Eric and Amanda met again at a Halloween party where they were both sober cabs for their friends. There was some light conversation but, being an eventful night, it was kind of left at that. So, not quite love at second sight, either. Fast forward to Amanda's 23rd birthday, in May 2016, when she and some friends went down to Park Point to play volleyball. Eric was also there, as he had come along with mutual friends. One moment that stands out to both is when Amanda went running for a ball that went outside of the court and across the paved walkway. As she ran, she tripped in a hole and fell. Eric came running to make sure she was okay and to help her back up. Later that evening, Eric messaged Amanda to wish her a "happy birthday" one more time. Amanda ended that birthday with a scraped hand and twisted ankle, but also with a new crush! A few weeks later, Eric and Amanda took a trip up the North Shore to Gooseberry Falls. After a full day of hiking, driving, enjoying each other's company, and ice cream, Eric asked Amanda to be his girlfriend.

Nearly three years after their first date, Eric took Amanda on a walk to the waterfall park near their house in Duluth, which is one of Amanda's favorite places in the city! They spent an hour walking, sitting on the rocks, watching trout jumping up the waterfall, and reminiscing on their relationship and how it began. Amanda took a picture of the beautiful scenery, and when she turned around, she saw Eric down on one knee. He smiled at her, said the sweetest things Amanda had ever heard but doesn't remember, and asked her to marry him! Teary-eyed and nearly speechless, she said yes. Later that evening Eric and Amanda went to dinner with Eric's brother and sister-in-law, Matt and Sarah, and watch a very talented local band, Lake City Smokin' Section.