Every meaningful journey begins not with certainty, but with quiet possibility. We first met in 2013 at McGill University—two individuals simply crossing paths at a friend’s gathering, unaware of the future gently unfolding before us. At the time, we were just two students from different corners of campus life, sharing a small conversation in a crowded room. There was no instant spark, no grand moment—just a quiet encounter that would mean much more in hindsight. It wasn’t until the summer of 2015, during multiple Materials Engineering courses (Thanks to Quitoriano for his tough MIME 467 classes), that our paths began to intertwine. Long afternoons in the lab turned into late-night study sessions. We bonded over scribbled notes, caffeine, and a kind of quiet rhythm we naturally fell into. We didn’t know it then, but something steady and meaningful had already begun. By December 2016, friendship had grown into love, not in a rush, but through intention. It was a choice to build something real together, we are officially together and went to our first ever trip in Cayo Coco, Cuba! In 2017, Brenda graduated and moved to the Greater Toronto Area for work. A year later, Tom left for Chicago to begin graduate school at Northwestern. We started a long-distance relationship that would last for years. It was hard at times, but we stayed close, not through proximity, but through trust, patience, and shared goals. We learned that the strongest relationships aren’t defined by where you are, but by what you’re building toward. In 2020, amid global uncertainty, we finally reunited in Canada. We didn’t just return to each other—we stepped forward into a shared life. Ottawa became our new home, and with it came growth, laughter, and the quiet resilience of two people building something real. That move became a turning point. It wasn’t just about being in the same place—it was about starting a life, side by side. In May 2023, under the warm skies of Miami, Tom proposed. The question was simple, and so was the answer. We had already been saying “yes” to each other, quietly, every day, for years. Now, on June 29, 2025, we’re getting married in Burlington, Ontario. And we’re celebrating a journey of faith, persistence, and love. We invite you to witness not just a wedding, but a reminder that the best things in life take time, courage, and belief in one another. We can’t wait to celebrate this moment - with all of you who’ve walked beside us, as we begin the next chapter, hand in hand.