We’re getting married!

What started as a budding friendship quietly blossomed into a once-in-a-lifetime kind of love. Every love story is unique, but Austin and Christina’s has been the perfect mix of timing, friendship, and just a little bit of fate. Long before they officially met, their lives had been quietly orbiting one another. From Christina spending prom weekend just two blocks away from Austin’s childhood home, to Austin unknowingly sitting behind her in a freshman Composition class—life kept bringing them close, waiting for the perfect moment. That moment came in October 2019 at a Phi Sigma Pi recruitment event. Christina was asking the usual icebreaker questions when she got to Austin. When she asked for a fun fact, he said that in high school , he was nicknamed "Franklin"—because people thought he looked like Franklin the turtle. The whole room burst out laughing, and Christina instantly knew: this was someone special. They spent the next year as friends—always checking in, cheering each other on, and mostly hanging out in groups. But when they returned to campus in September 2020 after the COVID shutdown, something shifted. They caught up over an early dinner at Landmark, Rowan’s favorite restaurant. Hours passed in a blink, and they didn’t realize it until staff started closing the restaurant—six hours of nonstop conversation had flown by. Shortly after, Christina’s roommate tested positive for COVID following a small Halloween get-together. Austin offered Christina a place to stay, and the next two weeks became something unforgettable—study sessions, long drives swapping music, cooking dinners and watching favorite shows. It was the happiest either of them had felt in a long time. And by the end of it, they both knew: this is how love should feel. The next three years were a beautiful whirlwind—filled with laughter, adventures, and a deepening love that confirmed what they already knew. On March 2, 2024, Austin proposed in front of the Ben Franklin Bridge, and just like that, a new chapter began. Now, Austin and Christina are planning the wedding of their dreams and counting down to May 2026 in Philadelphia, where they’ll finally get to say “I do” to their best friend.