Ian and I met the first day of college on the first floor of our coed dorm. Between the cheesy ice breakers and our shared disappointment of our new accommodations, we got to know everyone on our floor pretty quickly and became a tight-knit group. Ian and I, in the company of our dorm posse (four of which are now in our wedding party) went to class together, we ate meals together, and most importantly, we partied together. I like to share that Ian and I had chemistry, but it was the class, not the spark (I was way awkward). For two years (while dating another boy) I wondered why Ian was single. He is so kind and handsome, and the perfect amount of sarcastic and relaxed. When I finally broke up with my boyfriend, I decided to go for it… by telling my best friend that I liked him. At the next party we went to, I guess she got tired of watching us flirt so she pushed our faces together (thanks, Amanda!). For the rest of college, Ian and I were inseparable. Special thanks to Kayla Broomall for hosting that party, Amanda Stewart for being the perfect wing woman, and Kyle, Pat, and Gomes for putting up with us for the next two years. And finally, I'd like to thank the random room generator that put us all together freshman year. Life would not be the same without you. Fun fact: there are THREE more couples that also met on this freshman floor, including our beloved Pat and Kayla, as well as Amanda and her NOW FIANCE Zach!

We spent our last summer of college living on Maui, and ultimately decided to move to Hawaii after graduation. What most might consider a romantic pipe dream quickly became reality thanks to Ian's hard work. In Honolulu, Ian started his career with the US Fish & Wildlife Service, and I went to the beach a lot with our newly rescued Chowder. Starting fresh in a new place was exhilarating and surprisingly easy. We both took every day as an adventure with open minds and positive attitudes. I never thought it would be so easy to share a life with someone, be so happy, and so full of love. Special shout out to Angela Rainone, Ian's cousin / Chowder's aunt / the other love of my life, for being our best friend and tour guide that year - you made our time in Hawaii 10000x better.

We moved to California in early 2017 when Ian was offered a coveted Wildlife Biologist position located in Sacramento. We moved in with my brother, who was also looking for a fresh start, and we started over again. By this time, Ian and I were pros at starting a life from the ground up and once again it was made so easy by the laid-back nature of our relationship. For example, Ian fully supported me when I decided to bury myself deeper in debt by attending graduate school at my mother's alma mater, UC Davis. He encouraged me to invest in myself and never complained when I couldn't cover my rent. We also faced challenges together, head-on, and always with an optimistic attitude. But life in California has been one of our best adventures yet. We made amazing and adventurous friends through our jobs which led to countless weekend trips, movie nights, and impromptu dance competitions. These friends were even with us in Yosemite when Ian asked me to marry him. Special thanks to Alexi and Zanetta for capturing the moment I said yes! And finally, shout out to our new kitten, Opie, and our new puppy, Wally, for adding a ray of sunshine to our lives. We have an incredible life together, full of love, laughter and pure happiness. With Ian as my partner, I feel invincible, and I can't wait to take on the world as his wife.