When Allie was a sophomore in college, she was having a particularly rough day. Her best friend, Amy, bought her McDonald's fries and tried to cheer her up (she succeeded). On the way back to campus, Allie saw a print someone had shared on their Instagram story. It said "I Like Space" and she immediately wanted it. Amy said she knew the guy who made it and could ask if he'd sell it. In the campus art building, Allie headed to the printing room. The guy, Nathan, was very, very cute and had a perfect smile. He was in the middle of printing a taco truck being abducted by a UFO and chatted with her about the possibility of water on Mars. Allie bought the print and scurried out of the printing room. Amy was waiting outside and immediately pointed out how attractive Nathan was and how he looked at her a certain way. Allie dismissed the idea, saying she didn't want to fall for a guy again (having broken up with her ex-boyfriend earlier that year). That night, as Allie was working on a particularly difficult project, Nathan texted her. Apparently, Amy had given him her number "just in case" he wanted to follow up. They texted until after midnight. In the following months, Allie started hanging out more and more with Nathan in the printing room. He made her prints and t-shirts; they drove around without any particular destination; they ate lunch together; Allie asked him on their first official date, and he left gifts and handmade cards in her art supply drawer. In March of 2017, Nathan asked Allie to be his girlfriend via a video he made for her. And look at them now: five years later and about to get married and spend the rest of forever together. (And thanks a ton, Amy.)

For Allie's birthday, Nathan had the whole day planned out: her favorite museum, crepes for lunch, perusing whichever stores Allie wanted, and then a fancy dinner at a downtown Winston-Salem restaurant. Throughout the whole day, he had the ring in his shirt pocket. Over lunch, he asked Allie if she wanted her "surprise" before or after dinner. She chose after. So, after a nice dinner, Nathan suggested they walk around a nearby park. Allie was a bit suspicious and tried to test him by saying "It's kind of late...", to which he replied, "You're right." That caught her off guard. Instead, he pointed to a walkway lit by string lights, asking if she wanted to walk down that way. It just so happened to run alongside the building where she worked. Nathan asked, "Wait, where do you sit again?" Allie pointed out where her desk was on the fifth floor. It got really quiet and she knew that if she turned around, he'd be on one knee. And, sure enough, there he was on one knee with a beautiful ring in hand. Best birthday ever.