Caitlin and Chris's story began in the new old-fashioned way: online. Chris worried Caitlin might be a bot; Caitlin thought Chris was cute and looked goofy. It became clear early on that God was orchestrating something special and intentional. From the get-go, Chris was all in. His steadfast pursuit soon landed Caitlin in head-over-heels territory. A few relationship highlights include when Chris bamboozled* Caitlin into premarital counseling after less than three months of dating, and when Caitlin was almost mistaken as an intruder when she showed up at Chris's house unannounced (never again). Colluding with Caitlin's family, Chris orchestrated a surprise proposal in Austin on July 15, 2025, under the guise of a family trip and photo shoot in honor of her parents’ 50th anniversary. Caitlin loves Chris because of his selfless servant leadership, humility, bold faith in Christ, and his inability to be anyone but himself. Chris loves Caitlin because of her heart for the Lord, her determination never to give up, and the way she pours her whole self into everything she does. And they both love Christ because he first loved them (1 John 4:19). Their prayer for their wedding is that each of their guests would be reminded that marriage is a picture of the gospel, and that the gospel is true for each and every one of them. *Editorial note: Chris would call this tactic “clear and intentional leadership.”