Like many modern romances, ours began on Hinge, but the moment that truly mattered was on our first date at a bar in Over-the-Rhine. That night, Alec arrived shy and quiet. I, on the other hand, talked enough for the both of us (and maybe the tables around us too). Eventually, he warmed up, and we talked for hours— well past closing time. Luckily, the staff was kind enough to let us sit together for a while longer while they finished cleaning. We took that as a good sign. That summer, we celebrated Alec’s birthday at a Fall Out Boy concert. It was loud, electric, and apparently the perfect moment for me to ask, “So… are you ever going to ask me to be your girlfriend?” Alec laughed and said, “I thought you already were.” By October, I realized I wanted to marry him, and by spring in New Orleans, Alec asked me (and my cat, Luna) to move in with him. A year later, in St. Joseph, MI, we took a morning walk toward the North Pier Lighthouse, completely alone, fighting the wind, the cold, and the crashing waves. Along the shoreline, Alec stopped and pulled me close. Before I realized what was happening, he was on one knee. Cue the ugly crying, the shaking hands, the butterflies. In disbelief, all I could do was say “yes” a million times and then he slipped the most beautiful ring onto my finger. Alec’s proposal was intimate, purposeful, and completely us. Now, that lighthouse is one of our special places—a symbol of love, steadiness, and choosing each other in every season. Today, we’ve built our life in Over-the-Rhine, right where it all began. We have coffee together on the couch, take walks through Washington Park, and proudly cheer on our Cincinnati Reds. Luna approves of everything. Alec is my best friend, my steady place in every storm, and the person who has shown me what real, gentle, everyday love feels like. We are so excited for our wedding day!