James was a senior in high school when Riley was a freshman. They were both choir and theatre kids and although they were aware of one another and spent a lot of time together by virtue of their artistic pursuits, they weren't close friends. That changed on a red eye flight to a choir competition where, being the only two students awake of the group, they first realized the other was something special through a conversation held by passing a composition notebook back and forth through the gap between their seats. James graduated and went off to college, so unfortunately, they did not see one another again... ...until, through chance, Riley chose to attend the same university. Being three years apart (again), they saw one another only a single time: after attending James's performance as Robert in The Drowsy Chaperone, Riley approached him and congratulated him on a job well done. They didn't speak again for five years. Not on purpose, they were just living their lives! James moved to Oklahoma City and worked in the film industry and bartended on the side, while Riley moved to Minneapolis and became a registered dietitian. James came into his own as a cat dad (Daria!) and continued to practice writing and music, while Riley started buying houseplants and nurtured her love of pole dancing. In 2017, the two reconnected over Facebook. They were both pleasantly surprised to find in the other the same witty and talented conversationalist they each remembered from high school. After about half a year of texts and phone calls, Riley flew down to visit James in Oklahoma to make sure the chemistry they felt over distance wasn't marred by proximity. It wasn't, and they began officially dating soon after. (Fun fact: neither of them know the actual date they became a couple, so they picked 10/20 because it's easy to remember!) They've been through a lot as a couple in the last six years: moving James up to Minneapolis, Riley graduating from her Masters of Nutrition program in 2 semesters, moving in together, getting a second cat (Fitz!), quarantining and protesting together in 2020, buying their first home, James going back to school while working full-time, and a million other small and big shared moments. Both appreciate that the other has challenged them to grow and become kinder, more loving, and more self-aware individuals. Neither of them would choose a day without the other in it, because every day, they each feel that their lives are richer from being shared. Now that they are married, they are excited to announce that James has been accepted to law school and will be attending beginning August 2024. Congrats to the newly weds and this next chapter of their lives!