We first met as interns with a group of co-workers in an unassuming conference room at 111 S. Wacker in Chicago. We didn’t start dating until after a few years of knowing each other as co-workers and friends. One day, Tory misplaced her computer charger and frantically needed to borrow one before a flight. Luckily, my roommate had the right charger, and I got to spend a few hours with Tory as she got work done before her vacation. This chance meetup encouraged us to get to know each other better over the coming months and grow our friendship. It wasn’t until I picked up and moved to New York that I realized I was leaving someone special behind. This realization helped me build up the courage during a trip to Nashville with friends from work to finally ask Tory to date me. One short year of long-distance later, we started growing our relationship in Chicago and the many trips we’ve been fortunate to take together. Now we can’t wait to get married and take the next step in our loving relationship.

Tory was ecstatic—she was contacted by PAWS, the pet adoption center she has volunteered at for years, who told her she was going to be featured in a volunteer spotlight in their upcoming magazine. When Tory went in for her photoshoot for the article, I tagged along to Lincoln Park so we could go out afterward to celebrate. After Tory took a few pictures with a cute, brown puppy named Thyme, the photographer randomly asked me if I wanted to jump in for a few pictures. After we took some more photos with the puppy together, I got down on one knee and asked Tory to marry me. Despite the disappointment of the volunteer spotlight being a setup—she said yes!