Sam grew up in La Crosse and stayed close to his grade‑school friends, many of whom are in his wedding party. He studied at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse and graduated in 2019. Paige was raised in Kenosha, Wisconsin, later settled in Farmington, Minnesota, and moved to La Crosse to attend the same university; she graduated in 2021. Though their years at UW–La Crosse overlapped, their paths never crossed on campus. They were introduced in January 2022, after Paige graduated and began working at the same company as Sam. Through the small rituals of a new workplace, they became friendly: sharing jokes and discovering mutual interests. One Friday that month, Sam was at Top Shots pool hall with friends when Paige and her roommate drifted in. Seeing her from the corner of his eye, Sam crossed the room and said hello. They have been in constant contact ever since. In the days and weeks that followed, Sam and Paige spent every free moment together - trying local restaurants, swapping family stories, and exploring each other’s hobbies. They began dating later that year, and have sucked the marrow from life ever since: busy, buoyant, and always finding new adventures to share. Since then, they’ve filled their lives with music, food, friends, and travel. Paige, ever the socialite, keeps the calendar full with concerts, dinners, and gatherings; Sam brings steady enthusiasm for their next adventure. Together they love cooking steaks, making joint spreadsheets, watching Love is Blind, hosting parties, planning themed pub crawls with custom shirts, golfing, and hunting down new wineries and restaurants.