Aiden played water polo, and Alena was a swimmer, surrounded by a group of swim friends. They first met at the swim championships, where all the local teams gathered to compete and wrap up the summer. While friends were trying to set Alena up with someone else, she ended up talking to Aiden instead. They felt an instant connection! She even skipped her final 200 yard butterfly, her best stroke, just to chat a little longer. A few months later, high school started, and they were both on the water polo team. They became inseparable; walking to class together, hanging out between practices, and always finding time for each other. September 16th 2015, they made it officially! Their first kiss happened at the homecoming dance, on the school steps, just before their parents picked them up. Yup she still has the corsage his Auntie T helped him meticulously pick out!

Aiden and Alena have grown together in so many ways, sometimes side by side, sometimes cheering each other on from just a few steps behind. They navigated switching high schools, celebrated getting their first jobs, getting their licenses and when they turned 18, took the big leap and moved into their first apartment together. From job changes to housing adventures, ups and downs, and everything in between, they’ve learned how to support each other, share in the wins, and laugh through the challenges. Every step has brought them closer, and they’re excited to keep growing together in the next chapter of their lives.

It was Christmas Eve at the family cabin at Rucker Lake, a place that had always been special to Aiden and Alena. They stepped out for a quiet walk after dinner, the barbecue sauce still on their hands. Apparently, there hadn’t been time to wash up before the big moment. The snow crunched underfoot as they reached the top of the hill overlooking the iced-over lake, and for a few seconds, it felt as if the world had shrunk to just the two of them. Then, in a moment that took Alena completely by surprise, though maybe there had been a tiny clue overheard on a phone call earlier, Aiden bent down on one knee and proposed. Excitement, joy, and a little disbelief filled the air as she said yes. It was intimate, perfect, and unforgettable! Just the two of them, a perfect winter day, and the start of the next chapter of their lives together.

After growing up together, sharing milestones, adventures, and firsts big and small, it feels surreal for them to be planning the rest of their lives side by side. They’ve celebrated so many moments along the way, and they can’t wait to make the next one surrounded by the people who have been a part of their story from the very beginning. As they look ahead, they’re excited to continue building a life full of love, laughter, and shared adventures, knowing the best is yet to come.