Thirteen years ago, we were connected through a mutual friend (Hi, Tara!) and took our first shot at love. Like Jordan in ‘89 & ‘90…it wasn’t quite our time yet. Even though things didn't initially work out, we built trust and communication and remained friends throughout the years. We reconnected a few years ago, and it felt like no time had passed. We found ourselves spending more and more time together, which included romantic late-night trips through the McDonald's drive-thru and crying together watching America’s Got Talent (those golden buzzers get us every time). We knew we were MFEO (made for each other..obvi). In version 2.0, we've embarked on a thrilling new adventure—we bought a house! We've enjoyed transforming our new place into a warm and welcoming home. From picking out wallpaper and assembling furniture (which we may or may not have built incorrectly) to raising and nurturing our dog Carmela and many (many!) house plants, it's a labor of love that has brought us even closer together. We've made it through a few twists and turns down the road (and some potholes, because it's Chicago), and we are filled with excitement for the fresh pavement ahead. We envision a life filled with a lot of love, laughter, and many more pets, plants, and pizza nights. We cannot wait to celebrate and share our joy with our amazing friends and family by our side. Let's party!

The day of our engagement, I had a plan I had been working on for months. I hid a photographer in the bushes of nearby Humboldt Park, put on something nicer than athleisure (for once), and invited Missy to take a walk in the park on an unexpectedly cold and cloudy day…she declined. With the promise of Cozy Corner, I was able to get Missy out of bed. Before leaving for breakfast.. right there in the kitchen of our new home, I got down on one knee and showed her the ring. Neither of us remembers exactly what was said, but we’re sure it was sweet. That night, we celebrated with our closest friends at Longman & Eagle followed by even more celebrations at Golden Teardrops - two of our favorite spots. Sometimes things don't go as you plan them, but it ended up being a perfect day. Oh shoot, I left the photographer in the bushes!