“To be your friend was all I ever wanted; to be your lover was all I ever dreamed.” – Valerie Lombardo

This love story begins at Canyon del Oro High School over ten years ago. Although they weren’t friends, Katie and Tanner knew of each other as the “hot blonde with the ’65 Mustang” and the “cute soccer player with the loud truck”. It wasn’t until after they had both graduated that they were formally introduced in June of 2013 by an old friend. Their relationship started as video game playmates where they became fast friends, but it wasn’t until Tanner became Katie’s mechanic for her demolition derby that they became the best of friends. As best friends, they helped each other through everything from broken hearts and bad first dates. After two years, they finally realized they couldn’t lose the other and decided to take the chance on a first date in April of 2016. A few short weeks later at Katie’s college graduation party on May 14th, Tanner fully realized how much Katie truly meant to him. The couple moved to Mesa, Arizona in 2017 for Tanner’s schooling to become a heavy diesel mechanic. In 2019, as a part of Tanner’s program, they moved to the tiny town of Pittsburg, Kansas. It was a huge decision for the both of them, but Tanner knew he wanted to marry Katie. Right before the big move, on April 20th, 2019, he asked her to marry him, she obviously said yes. Moving halfway across the country was a big change for both of them. Tanner was constantly in school, and Katie was trying to figure out what her career future looked like. They both started working at the Jolly Fox Brewery together where they were lucky enough to meet amazing friends to help them grow during this time of great change. With Tanner’s graduation from Pittsburg State University in May of 2021, it was finally time to return to Arizona and make a home! They bought their first house together in November of 2021, where they live happily with their dog, Annie; their cats, Bubbles and Ashe; and their hedgehog, Kita. Tanner had officially started his career in May of 2022, and Katie had taken the huge leap of faith and found a new career in July of 2022. It was finally time to plan the BIG DAY!! Tanner and Katie love to play video games together, race cars when possible, and just spend time together. They are the couple that doesn't have to be around each other constantly, but when they are, you see the true love that shines in their eyes for each other. Tanner and Katie can't wait to seal the deal with a kiss and finally celebrate their unity with their loved ones.