I'ma get get get get you Strunk!

Despite both growing up in Ohio, Ben and Whitney first met in 2014 when Ben interviewed for a competitive sports position at NC State University Recreation where Whitney worked in facilities. Ben made the mistake of mentioning later that their first interactions were a little “creepy” and Whitney has never let him forget about it. After working together for almost a year, the pair began dating...unbeknownst to Ben’s roommates Adam and Sadat (who happened to be Whitney’s boss). Finally, the couple went public to their friends after a day of Trolley Pub, the Kentucky Derby, and maybe one (or two) too many beverages. Ben and Whitney continued to grow their relationship through a shared passion for the Ohio State Buckeyes, a mutual hatred of salads and a healthy appreciation for exploring Raleigh’s breweries. They took their relationship to the next level in 2016 by moving in together. Their two-bedroom apartment included the living room, bedroom, kitchen, and “eBay room” where Ben introduced Whitney to his side hustle habit. The situation seemed to work well for both as Ben allowed Whitney to watch every second of the Bachelor (plus the Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise and all other spin-offs) and Whitney got used to Ben having to “go ship things” each evening when he sold things on eBay. In February 2018, the pair headed on a vacation to Italy and spent a week sightseeing and pasta eating around Florence, Rome, Venice, and Milan. On Valentine’s Day, the morning included a trip to the Tower of Pisa and the evening featured a special treasure hunt adventure around Florence that ended with Ben proposing using a stand-in ring he bought at a recent country auction. Somehow, she still said yes.