9.4.26

Like many modern love stories, ours began on Hinge. At the time, Matt was relatively new to Chicago and I had just moved to Naperville. From our very first date, we hit it off and ended up talking for hours. That same weekend, we separately ended up at a Jonas Brothers concert, where Matt met my friends and things started to feel like more than just a great first date. We quickly began spending as much time together as we could. With Matt living downtown and me in the suburbs, it wasn’t always the easiest setup, but Matt never hesitated to make the drive. Eventually, I moved into a home in Geneva, and Matt joined me soon after, where we built our little family with just the two of us and my corgi, Bailey. Now we’re happily settled in the suburbs and loving the life we’ve built together. From game nights with friends to quiet nights on the couch watching our favorite shows, we enjoy both the everyday moments and the adventures. Whether traveling to Portugal or running errands down the street, being together always feels like home. This celebration feels especially meaningful to us, as neither of us grew up imagining a day like this would be possible for us as two gay men. We are deeply grateful for those who came before us and made it possible for us to stand here today, and we feel incredibly lucky to be here now. Most of all, we are so thankful for the love, support, and encouragement of our family and friends who have surrounded us and helped shape our story. We can’t wait to make it official and begin this next chapter as a married couple.