Olivia and Tyler both began graduate school at the University of Cincinnati in the fall of 2018 in the Department of Biological Sciences. While we did not have a single ‘meet-cute’ early interactions included Tyler trying to impress in Data Analysis class and Olivia pretending to be interested in chess to spend time with Tyler.

Was it a group scavenger hunt? Grad student holiday party? Olivia would say she had been calculating her moves for months. However, our first joint-decided date was at one of our favorite restaurants, Marrakech Moroccan Cafe in December 30, 2018.

Proposing to Olivia was difficult for a couple reasons. Of course, Tyler wanted to ensure our immediate families and closest friends knew beforehand. Olivia, however, is an excellent detective and would immediately take notice to anything out of the ordinary. So, Tyler had to wait until just a couple weeks prior to the proposal while traveling for a scientific conference to notify his shortlist. Any special dates would’ve made Tyler’s plan far too obvious, so he scheduled a series of ‘fake’ proposals to throw Olivia off his scent. However, on March 12, 2022, Tyler took Olivia to one of the places it all began, the Cincinnati Art Museum. After practicing his lines in the bathroom and waiting for what felt like an eternity for a bystander couple to move from the spot, Tyler proposed to Olivia in front of the “Alter Platform at Khirbet et-Tannur” display - featuring a revered deific couple. Olivia didn’t make it easy though, interrupting Tyler twice in order to make it apparent she had figured out what was happening and who the secret photographer was. Tyler kept composed, finished his lines, asked the question, and Olivia said yes!