We met in March of 2016 when we were both seniors in high school. It was an unlikely time to meet someone, as we were both planning for college and our future selves, but life had a magical way of surprising us. For one of our first dates, Gregory told Viktorija to meet him at his house and that he would drive them to a special restaurant for dinner. Once she arrived, they got in the car, drove around the block, and pulled back up to his house. That night, Gregory (with the help of his lovely mom, DeAnne), cooked up his dad's famous carbonara recipe. And so our story began. Whether it's been getting through college together, where we encouraged one another to continue to grow and learn, to supporting each other through life's challenges and changes, while moving in together and settling into adulthood, it's been an incredible 9 years. In August of 2023, Gregory proposed to Viktorija. It was at a beach near Sleeping Bear Dunes during a trip to Traverse City. Right as the sun began to set, Gregory popped the question. Soon after, in December of 2023, Viktorija and Gregory eloped at City Hall in Chicago. It was a beautiful, sunny Winter day, where we intimately affirmed our love and commitment to one another.