Rose's Version: At the time Ryan and I had met, I was no stranger to online dating. I was new to Chicago so meeting people on an app was super helpful; granted, I met my fair share of freaks. I was standing outside of Mad River Bar when Ryan and I swiped on a Friday night. He asked me how one "spontaneously goes sky diving" and I believe followed up with a joke about giraffes. The following day, Saturday, he got a manicure with his work wife, MC, and asked if we could meet up. Feeling slightly conflicted, I told him I couldn't until I got back from my work trip that I was leaving for on Tuesday. Of course in Ryan fashion, he replied "I'm not waiting that long to meet you." So we made plans for lunch on Sunday. I remember this day clearly because boy, oh boy, I was feeling confident. I felt strong and empowered, like I didn't care how it went because I got me. Of course my confidence stunted slightly as I walked straight into the swinging doors at Lucky's Sandwich Shop, right in front of Ryan. To be honest, lunch with him was weird. He could barely make eye contact and the sandwiches sucked. As I was mentally preparing my "it was so good to meet you" speech on the way out, Ryan asked if I'd like to go to a dive bar. If you know me, the answer is always hell yes. Then the good stuff started happening. Ryan started looking me in the eyes, we played Uno and Darts, and had a whole bunch of laughs. As it got late I started to feel bummed that we had to part ways but I needed to go pack for my trip. We had a goodbye hug and that was that. [2 hours later] Maybe I'm clingy but two hours later I texted him asking if he'd like to join me and my friends at a bar to watch the Oscars. Two seconds later he responded "I'll be there in 20." My friend Danielle said "she literally watched us fall in love sitting in that booth." That's a little mushy for me but in all honesty, that's what happened. Oh, and he paid my bar bill before I even knew it, class act!

A co-worker (Our officiant, MC) and I went to a bar one Tuesday night for wings. She was on dating apps and after looking through her matches she said, “If I have to do this, you have to do this”. I set up a Hinge profile at the bar, and I was officially apart of the 21st century. Rose and I matched on a Friday. I believe one of my opening lines was “How do you feel about giraffes? Too Tall?” One of Rose’s Hinge Bio lines was “I spontaneously went skydiving”, naturally one of my first questions to her was “How does that work? You just get sick of a flight and jump out?” We talked for less than a day and I asked to meet up (because this was my first dating app, and formality was out the window apparently). Rose was going out of town for business and wouldn’t be back for a few weeks. Seeing my window close, I asked if we could get lunch that Sunday, to which she agreed. We met up at a sandwich shop in Wrigleyville that had saloon style doors to enter. I got there first and watched Rose struggle with the saloon doors to get in. That might have been our last eye contact of the date. I was out of practice with dating, March Madness was on the TVs, and our sandwiches were downright awful, so I spent a lot of time looking at everything but Rose. I could feel it going downhill fast. We paid our bill, put on our coats, and once we were safely past the Saloon doors, I made a last-ditch effort and asked her to go to a dive bar. Much to my surprise, she agreed. We walked down the street and ordered a few drinks. After a few minutes she casually pulled UNO out of her purse. I repeat, she pulled UNO out of her purse!! “Well, this is love” I thought. We played uno, talked for a few hours, and played the worst game of darts ever. She had to get home to pack, so I gave her a big hug, said we’d talk, and we went our separate ways.

With a big smile on my face, I walked back home and stopped in at my favorite bar, in part to calm down, and in part to gloat to anyone who would listen. I got a text an hour later from Rose saying that she and her friends were going out that night to watch the Oscars, and asked me to come. Of course, I said yes, ran home, changed, and then headed out for date #2 on day #1. I made sure to be more myself on date number 2. More eye contact, build a rapport with the friends. Ya know, human stuff. The night went awesome! I made sure to not overstay my welcome, paid for our tab, and asked her to go outside to say goodbye. We chatted for a bit and then we kissed in front of the True Value Hardware on Broadway, just like the draw it up in the movies. The rest was history as they say. Rose has been my best friend and partner in crime ever since.