Just after the pandemic, in the fall of 2021, Lauren and Kevin were looking to get out and socialize. Fortunately for both, a dear mutual friend - you know who you are - called many of his friends circles together for a weekly brewery night called “brew crew.” They didn’t know it yet (or each other, for that matter), but this mutual friend knew Lauren through Michigan Tech and he knew Kevin from work. Coincidentally, all three loved beer. During one brew crew, Lauren and Kevin chatted nearly the whole time amongst themselves, talking about everything from what each other would do with hypothetical lottery winnings to “chicken pickin’ music.’” At the end of the night, Kevin wanted to ask Lauren out, and was looking for a good chance to do it. He floated the idea of doing a movie night but this plan was foiled as others in attendance (bless their hearts) expressed interest. He then said he needed to use the restroom in hopes that the others would leave and he could get a chance with Lauren, but much to his dismay, his loyal friends did not abandon him. His last resort? Asking Lauren for a ride to his car, parked only a block away. To this day, he counts his blessings that Lauren obliged. After chatting some more, exchanging ideas about music (and what constitutes chicken pickin’), Kevin stole Lauren’s phone number and a kiss. They had their first date at Can Can Wonderland a few days later, a mini-golf and arcade spot with a brewery attached. It was a great success, with Lauren’s competitive spirit on full display, Kevin claiming to Lauren he was not a stubborn person (which has since been disproven), and a walk along the train tracks in December where Kevin, as Lauren likes to remind him, could have murdered her but didn’t. He had been trying to show her a spot where both the Minneapolis and St. Paul skylines could be seen at the same time, but they didn’t manage to find it. About a week later, Lauren came down with COVID after another brew crew event that they both attended. This was back in the days of quarantine and meant that Lauren would miss Christmas with her family. Kevin was an absolute gem those 2+ weeks, video chatting with Lauren every night and playing games with her so she didn’t get lonely, even on Christmas Eve. Lauren and Kevin did all the things you would expect two engineers would do - they made a spreadsheet of date ideas and started crossing them off. From skiing, to cooking, to scooter rides, they enjoyed each others’ company. Lauren convinced Kevin that traveling could be fun and they took their first trip to New York City that summer. Since then, they have taken numerous trips - exploring National Parks, relaxing in Mexico, and a trip to Germany and Austria. In June of 2023, they bought a house in NE Minneapolis, and their infamy came about after filming Episode 12, Season 240 of HGTV’s House Hunters. If, somehow, you have not heard this story, this was not something they pursued on their own. But when your favorite realtor calls asking you to be on HGTV, how do you say no? Since the episode aired, they have spent tons of time on house projects. From a kitchen renovation (including, yes, adding a dishwasher) to a major remodel in their upstairs to add a bathroom, they have put Kevin’s tools to good use. They say that if a couple can build Ikea furniture together, they can survive anything, right? Well, we say if you can survive 5 days of filming for reality TV and then rewire your 100 year old upstairs together, we’re pretty confident we can survive it all. After 3(ish) years of dating, Kevin planned a trip to Red Wing, MN one day in April 2025. They had taken a day trip there back in their first year together in the fall of 2022. After taking Lauren to a coffee shop and a bookstore, he took her on a short hike up the bluffs where he popped the question - the same question that now leads to you reading this story on our wedding website. They celebrated the way you would expect, with a beer.