We're getting married!

At the start of my junior year at UIUC, I went to meet my new manager for a business consulting club I was in. David caught my attention right away. He was prepared, friendly, and even told ME, the queen of organization, not to worry about making a to-do list because he already had one typed up for me (*queue angelic choir “ahhh” sound*). While I thought we would work very well together, little did I know we would become such close friends that first month. We shared similar visions for life after college, bonded over our desire to follow Christ, and had fun trying new restaurants and cooking together. I mean, he made me steak on what you could call our first date AND homemade pasta sauce on the second (what 20 year old guy does that!). He quickly learned food (and Target) was the way to my heart. The only red flag at this point was the amount of broccoli he made me eat, something I still struggle with today. But being the blunt person I am, I eventually asked him about the “spark” between us. I knew he felt it too. We began to date and within the next two years we graduated college, did a bit of traveling, moved to Chicago, and started the exact same job at the same company. He proposed to me in June 2020 in Lincoln Park, in the same spot he asked me to be his girlfriend officially a couple years prior. (PS don’t let him tell you it was a total surprise! He was so sweaty and mysterious and kept reaching for his left pants pocket to make sure the ring was still there!). Of course, I said yes. I keep getting more and more excited to marry my best friend. He's the guy I want to see the world with, and sit in silence with after a long day. He knows me better than myself at this point, and I admire how loyal and caring he is. I am so honored to say "I Do" soon in front of God, our family, and friends. We hope you are ready for a big celebration - and please come hungry! If this wedding had a theme, it would be “foodie”. No broccoli though, I promise :)

We met in college through a consulting organization at U of I. Spending time with her quickly became the best part of my day, whether it was doing a project work session, working on homework at a coffee shop, or exploring a new part of campus. One of the things that I think accelerated my interest in her was how she invited me to attend church with her early on; quite honestly, I felt a lot of comfort in that. I genuinely enjoyed (and continue to enjoy) working with her; I admired her work ethic, her commitment, her no-shortcut mentality, and intelligence. More than that, I was attracted to her sense of humor, our aligned values, and her overall personality. Plus, teasing her never got old! When we went on a weekend trip to Chicago a few months into the semester, I took her to this beautiful bridge in Lincoln Park and asked her to be my girlfriend. I had sealed the deal! Through our few years together we have grown incredibly close, and I cannot wait to take the next step. I remember asking myself the question, “could I envision my life without Hunter in it?”. The answer was obvious and that was when I knew it was officially time to start thinking about proposing. One Friday last summer I told her I wanted to go on a walk later that day, had her friends meet me at the bridge in Lincoln Park, and I got down on one knee. She said yes just minutes before a torrential downpour came - just in time. What excites me even more than the wedding is the opportunity to embark on the journey of marriage together and continue to pursue each other as Christ pursues us through thick and thin. I hope everyone has a fun time at our wedding – we cannot wait to celebrate with you!