When John’s grandpa couldn’t make their annual duck hunt in Bemidji due to knee surgery, Paige’s dad—an old friend—invited John to hunt on his land instead. After a day of hunting, John came inside for a beer and met Paige’s mom, who couldn’t resist showing off a photo of her single, beautiful, successful daughter. She kept encouraging Paige to reach out, and eventually, to quiet her mom, Paige followed John on Instagram. By the next morning, he’d messaged her to see if she was who he thought she was. One conversation led to another, and soon they were on their first date in Paige’s hometown—where they hit it off instantly.

On August 1st, 2025, at our family cabins on Lake of the Woods, John popped the question. Paige had a pretty good idea it was coming - between John's nervous energy and her best friends lack of eye contact and continuous talking, it was hard to miss. With only two days to prepare after getting the ring, John still made the moment perfect. After a (nearly legendary) muskie fishing trip - where Paige almost landed a huge muskie - he took her to the middle of the lake and proposed. Don't ask us what was said because we both blacked out but we just know the moment was perfect. We boated back to Paiges family's cabin to find everyone running down the dock, banging pots and pans in celebration. It was an incredibly special moment, surrounded by the people we love in our favorite place.