Ryan and Katie met in their history class during their freshman year of high school. Katie initiated their journey when she asked Ryan to their school's winter event, "Skaties," and they had an amazing time. From that moment on, they attended every school dance and event together, even winning Homecoming King and Queen during their senior year. In their first year of college, a new challenge arose as Katie's family moved across the country to Fort Wayne, Indiana, introducing a period of long distance for the couple. Amidst the challenges of COVID-19 and navigating a long-distance relationship, Ryan and Katie faced a unique set of circumstances before deciding to attend Taylor University in Indiana together for their sophomore year. Their time at Taylor brought both ups and downs, leading Ryan to eventually move back home to Southern California to complete his last two years of college at Vanguard University. Despite the distance, Ryan and Katie found their rhythm, flying to each other every couple of months and making the most of countless FaceTime calls. After more than six years of dating, including the last four years of navigating a long-distance relationship, Ryan proposed in January 2024 during a breathtaking sunset in Laguna Beach—a place where they've shared many special occasions and dates.