It all started in August 2019 in Tallahassee, Florida. Katherine was in her final semester at Florida State, and Tyler was beginning his junior year. On the first day of her leadership studies class (a requirement she had conveniently saved for last), Katherine surprised herself by arriving early. Sitting by the door, she watched classmates file in until Tyler walked through. Something about him stood out instantly. She even tried to sneak a photo to send her best friend, Jason, with the caption: “this guy in my class is so hot.” Apparently, the feeling was mutual. Of all the empty seats, Tyler chose the one right next to her. Later that same night, he sealed the deal with the 2019 version of a handwritten love letter: a Tinder super-like. Over the next few months, they flirted in class, made excuses to “accidentally” bump into each other at bars, and grew closer knowing Katherine would be graduating soon. She finished her degree that December, and a few months later moved to Chicago to start the next chapter of her life. Tyler stayed in Tallahassee to finish college. Then the world shut down. Even from different cities, they stayed connected through hours-long FaceTimes and the kind of Snapchats that only best friends (or two people in denial) exchange. They both knew that if the timing ever worked out, they would have something special. A visit to Chicago proved it. It felt like no time had passed, and their connection was as natural as ever. Eventually, they decided to stop waiting for perfect timing. They gave long distance a try while Tyler was in Dallas and Katherine in Chicago, traveling back and forth until they realized this was it. Tyler moved to Chicago, and together they built a home with Katherine’s cats, Teddy and Monkey. Later they added a playful kitten named Archie to complete the family. In April 2024, Tyler proposed. After years of missed timing, long flights, and even a pandemic, they cannot wait to finally celebrate their once-in-a-lifetime love with all of you.