Travis and Emily's story began after Emily accepted a job at a law firm in Dallas and was finishing law school in Ann Arbor. Emily's friend, Kelly Avant, who knew Emily would soon be moving to Dallas, and Kelly's friend, Travis's cousin, Anna Lazzari, decided to introduce the two. One evening, they put Emily and Travis in a group chat. Emily reached out immediately, with Travis taking slightly longer to respond. She didn't hold it against him, and they connected for months over the phone, finally meeting in person in Dallas when Emily went to "house hunt" ahead of graduation. Their first date turned into a multi-day affair, and not long thereafter, they were inseparable. Both recall knowing after their first date that they'd met the person they wanted to spend the rest of their life with.

Florence is a special place for the Nadalinis, as it is the home of Travis's grandparents, Betty and Cesare Nadalini. When Travis lived in Italy as an infant, his parents became members of the St. James Episcopal Church which provided them with a strong sense of community away from their home in Dallas. Betty and Cesare have since also joined St. James and it continues to serve as a social and spiritual center in their lives. Florence was an easy sell to Emily, who was persuaded by the beauty of the city (not to mention the food and wine) and had also visited with her family several years ago. Fun fact: David Bowie and Iman were married at St. James on June 6th, 1992, which happens to be Shannon and Jimmy Nadalini's (the Groom's parents) wedding anniversary.