When we chose September 30th for our wedding day, we had no idea that at midnight, it would align with all of our firsts. Nowadays, an official dating anniversary isn’t cut & dry. Back in 2017, when our romance had just begun, we landed on October 1st. That night we saw Mikey’s family friend at the tonic room and she asked him if I was his girlfriend… later that night he asked me the same question, and the rest is history. Little did we realize how special that October 1st date was! Turns out, October 1, 2011 was the day we first met; the day Mikey “miracled” me for a Furthur show at Red Rocks! I traveled with a friend from New Jersey, and upon arrival at the venue we scanned the first couple rows to find a spot. We saw an open area, and I casually asked to scoot in with Mikey and his buddies. As we waited for the band, we chatted about college, him being an Iowa Hawkeye and me at Seton Hall in NJ. Mikey mentioned he wasn’t able to attend the show the next night, & I told him I didn’t have a ticket, but was planning to try my luck finding one. He proceeded to offer me his Sunday ticket; he didn’t want any money for it, he just wanted to be sure his ticket went to someone he knew would use it to the fullest (didn’t hurt that he thought I was cute ☺️). We all hung out the entire show, but we were mostly caught up in the music & dancing so the fact that we were both from the Chicago suburbs never came up. We went our separate ways; I used my miracle ticket for the next night & Mikey drove back home! We were total strangers with no idea we’d ever see each other again. Later that year, I graduated and moved back to Palatine with my parents. About 4 months post-graduation, I got an apartment in Wrigleyville with 3 random roommates. I ended up going to Summer Camp Music Festival with my new roomies, and low and behold I see Mikey! Turns out, one of my new roommates, Taylor, was Mikey’s roommate back at Iowa! That’s how we reconnected - he spotted the “Furthur girl!” hanging out with all of his Chicago friends. We reminisced about Furthur, & the crazy, unexpected way we met again. We became fast friends, running in the same circle, dancing at the same concerts, & somehow always ending up at the same parties. Eventually I was able to repay him the favor with fare-the-well tickets in 2015! We went to the show together, and my brother, Brendan, even tagged along. We had the best time, and while we were just friends at that point our connection was undeniable. Not only did Brendan exclaim that he “finally got my obsession with the Grateful Dead,” he thought Mikey was the absolute coolest, nicest guy, and immediately hinted that this was someone he’d love me to date. The timing wasn’t quite right for me, but it gave Mikey and I an opportunity to form a beautiful friendship, & grow individually. Throughout that time, we always maintained a special bond; one which truly allowed us to form a long lasting, amazing relationship. And, a few years later, in 2017, we started a new, romantic chapter. Who would have thought 12 years from the chance encounter at Red Rocks, almost to the exact day, we’d be getting married?! We are beyond grateful to host our wedding in Chicago, the city that brought us back, and keeps us together. To share this special moment, and follow it up dancing in September with so many of our loved ones is the perfect way to kick off our lives together.