Erin and Ryan met the good old-fashioned way...on a dating app. (Bumble, to be exact.) After the initial match, the clock started ticking, because the match expires after 24 hours if the woman doesn't message the man first to initiate a conversation (another Bumble quirk). Erin is quite the procrastinator, and missed the deadline (oops). Thankfully, the app offers a free daily extension which allows the match to remain for another 24 hours, and Ryan was so kind to use his on Erin. She thankfully did not miss this deadline, and actually messaged him this time. They messaged back and forth for the next day consistently, and everything was going great, that is until Erin asked Ryan if he lived in the area. (Spoiler Alert: He did not.) Ryan lets Erin know that he is in fact from the area originally, but has been living in California for the last 7 years, and was only back in Ohio for that week to volunteer at a summer camp he has been going to for years. He also let her know he was leaving the next day, and would return two months later to Ohio for a family vacation. Erin humored the man, and agreed to a FaceTime date, and another, and another. Fast forward to September, Ryan is coming back to Ohio for a mere 24 hours prior to flying to Europe with his family. He has so kindly asked Erin to be his ride from the airport, and she accepts without hesitation. At 6:00 a.m. on the morning of his arrival, Erin and Ryan met for the first time in person (it was then, after 2 months of virtual dates, that Ryan asked Erin to be his girlfriend). At 6:00 p.m., 12 hours later, Erin was sitting at his parents' dinner table. According to Ryan, Erin fit right into the Colegrove dynamic, and made a lasting impression on his family.

Erin and Ryan both admitted later that they each felt like they'd known each other their whole lives, and have always felt like they were exactly where they were supposed to be at exactly the right time. After 8 months of long-distance dating, including several trips back and forth between Ohio and LA, Ryan decided to make the big move back to Ohio. In preparation, Erin flew out to LA, and they packed up his 2012 Honda Accord with everything he owned (or rather everything that would fit), and began their epic 2,000 mile cross-country roadtrip. After 4 days of adventure, including 40+ hours of driving and several stops along the way, they made it back to Cuyahoga Falls to start the next chapter of their lives. Fast forward to present day, Ryan and Erin have added a new addition to the household in their rescue pup Mabel, who makes sure there is never a dull moment. Ryan has re-established himself professionally, working for the local film festival, and Erin continues her work as a nurse practitioner. They love to spend time at home watching movies or cooking new recipes, outside hiking the many local trails, and out and about with friends at both new and familiar local spots.