Zach and Michael's "paths crossed" completely by chance (Zach would say by fate) on the evening of Thursday, August 18, 2016. Michael's brother Johnny and Zach's friend Mark were both in Indianapolis visiting. Naturally, both guests wanted to go out for a night on the town! Zach and Michael met at Tini on Mass Ave. The crew then moved to Metro (the bar next door) where Zach scored Michael's number (in which Michael thought there is no way this guy is going to ever text me back). To Michael's surprise, Zach did text later that morning and the two would go on to enjoy an amazing first week of dating. However, it wouldn't be a good story without a twist: Zach was stupid, got cold feet and called things off the following Thursday night. Michael (knowing he would be back) left the door open. Almost a month later (after coming to his senses), Zach reached back out to see if Michael would be interested in grabbing coffee. The two met up on Sunday, September 25, 2016 at Starbucks on the SE side of Indy. The two have been together ever since!

Zach let "slip" he'd be proposing on the Saturday evening they were to attend the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra's Yuletide Celebration downtown. However, he secretly was planning a surprise proposal production, "Howard's Greatest Show," on stage at Franklin Central High School's Robert L. Mason Auditorium on Wednesday, December 18, 2019. The 20+ minute show was comprised mostly of songs from the five musicals Michael has directed over the 3+ years they had been dating. Zach had arranged for all the songs to be sung by Franklin Central alumni and current students who played these roles in each musical. Michael had no idea what was about to happen until he sat down in the auditorium. A video documenting the proposal was produced by photoGARY.net and can be enjoyed at https://youtu.be/odI1y3ZoMLQ