Shay and Benjamin met at their college orientation at an interfaith meet and greet. Shay was outgoing, and Benjamin was intensely studious. They always ended up bumping into each other, and despite their vast differences in personality, they always somehow clicked. Benjamin would time his piano practices around Shay’s schedule at the Lang Music Building, hoping to catch her ear with some familiar Schubert. Shay planned Benjamin’s surprise birthday party at their dorm, luring him with a calculus homework session set to a Holst ambiance. For two years they always shared meals as casual friends, went to each other’s concerts, and never crossed paths without stopping to say hi. While setting aside time with other friends required planning within their busy academic lives, somehow Benjamin and Shay found time together spontaneously and effortlessly. The pandemic disrupted their Sophomore and Junior years, but when they reconnected in person they decided to make up for lost time. Benjamin and Shay became inseparable best friends in the spring of 2021. They shared everything together, even the spare 10 minutes between classes (or the spare 50 when skipping them). Shay and Benjamin were always affectionate with each other, but on the final night of their Junior year, filled with grief that they would be separated for the summer, they shared their first kiss. Shay and Benjamin proceeded into their senior year defining their relationship as a sort of platonic partnership. Benjamin tucked Shay in each night, unknowingly beginning his lifelong commitment to getting her water. Over time, they became even closer and began looking beyond graduation. The purity of Shay’s love that year led Benjamin to profound healing and clarity about who he was, what he wanted in a relationship, and how he already had it with Shay. He couldn’t bear the thought of them drifting apart in separate lives, and knowing that Shay felt the same way, he told her his feelings in March 2022, the day before their Spring Break trip to Iceland. It was a magical moment for Shay and Benjamin - they saw each other with brand new eyes and their future with vast new horizons. They say they started dating then, because there truly was a transformation between them. In reality that was the day their love for each other cemented for life. What followed did not disappoint their hopes, certainly tested their strength, and altogether grew into something more wonderful and genuine than they could have ever predicted. Shay settled into Denver in July of 2022 and Benjamin followed in August. He proposed on New Year’s Eve near the Botanic Garden Lights under the Cheesman Park Pavilion, and Shay said the year’s most unsurprising and enthusiastic yes. They set their wedding date for November, asked themselves why they were waiting, and signed their names in the Jefferson County Courthouse on March 1st. Since then, their lives rapidly fell into place: they moved into a beautiful new apartment on March 31st in a perfect arrangement to host monthly community events. Shay proved herself to be the world’s most resourceful thrifter and furnished (nay, curated) their new home in mere weeks. Their lives have been filled ever since with new friendships, event planning, nannying, professional development, dreaming of the future, spiritual growth, adaptation to each other’s cleaning styles, and even a pet bunny to adore. As they look forward, Shay and Benjamin have no plans to leave Denver, no rush to start grad school, and eventually plan on raising kids after traveling the world.