MATT: I had been on different online dating apps for about a year when I found Sharie on Bumble. What drew me to her was our shared interest in running, her desire to travel and try new things, and how genuinely happy and nice she was. In all of her pictures, she had a big bright smile. After talking, we decided to meet up. This was during the time that I was traveling for work and had just started my Master’s program, and finding times to meet were tough. However, we made it work. When we did meet, we would be with each other for as long as we could. I remember closing down most restaurants during our first couple of dates. Not long after we started spending longer times together and introducing each other to our family and friends. I plunged Sharie into meeting my family and most friends during a train crawl, and she survived (however, she won’t let me forget it). All these adventures together confirmed in my mind that she was the one for me and we eventually started officially dating. SHARIE: I had been on my fair share of awful online dates in DC, so when I moved to Chicago, I swore off online dating forever. Then, a friend convinced me to go back online, but only swipe for fellow runners, as I needed someone who could put up with my running schedule (I was training for my next race at the time). Less than a week into me re-downloading Bumble, I swiped right on Matt, and he was the only guy I had a conversation with (my opening line was asking what his favorite race that he had run). Side note, I told no one that I got back online since I didn’t want to get my hopes up too much or jinx anything. But when Matt and I arranged to meet up for the first time, I finally told my cousin/roommate Stephanie, cause, ya know, safety. Anyways, had a pretty darn good time together. So much so, that I asked him on a second date! Yup, I asked for the second date, and it’s a fact I’ll never let him forget ;) And it’s a good thing he said yes, because look where it landed us!

I had decided in 2021 that I wanted to propose to Sharie and after getting Alan’s blessing went and picked a ring. After waiting six long weeks for the ring, I had planned to do it during our planned weekend trip to Michigan. I knew we were going to Mackinac Island one day and figured it would be a perfect place to do it. I had looked online for possible spots but did not have a one hundred percent plan in mind. On the drive up I had already put the ring in my shorts pocket, only to realize that ring boxes are bigger than you think and would be easily noticeable by Sharie. I decided to make the bold move to have the ring loose in my pocket for the day, what is the worst that could happen? Immediately once we got onto the island we decide to bike eight miles around the island. I had to urge Sharie to remain in front so I could ride with one hand on my pocket the whole time, just to make sure the ring was still there. We went to the Grand Hotel, where I thought it would have a good view, but the environment was lackluster. Sharie then mentioned a location called Lover’s Leap. In my mind, I thought it would be perfect, but then google maps took us to the wrong part of the island. I was starting to panic as the day was winding down and mentioned we should take another picture on a secluded shore area. After taking a few pictures, I asked the random guy taking our pictures for one more and got down and proposed. Thankfully she said yes, and made me the luckiest man on Earth!

We spent a weekend in Michigan, including a day on Mackinac Island. After a long journey just to get there, we began our day of adventuring. We biked the eight miles around the island, stopping several times to admire the views and take pictures as we went. We toured the Grand Hotel (definitely not as “grand” as we expected it to be), and tried to find “Lover’s Leap”, which I had seen on the map and really wanted to go to. Well, the maps lied. It wasn’t where it said it was. As we walked back to the downtown area of the island, we saw a cute beach-like area with picnic tables and Matt suggested we take some more pictures there. We asked a random guy to take our pictures, and as he handed the phone back to us after taking a couple of pictures, Matt stepped forward, asked him, “Could you take one more, please?” and then got down on one knee. Incredibly, the guy figured out what was going on immediately, switched the phone to video mode, and captured the whole thing! It was absolutely perfect in every way, and I’m so thankful for the way everything happened. After the proposal, we called our parents and siblings, then went to a bar to celebrate (where several people bought us drinks, no complaints there). The rest of the night consisted of us calling some close friends and family, running half a mile down the street to get pizza since it was the only place open by the time we got home, more drinks at the bar by our hotel, and stuffing our faces with pizza while watching America Ninja Warrior. Best. Night. Ever.