Allie and Brendan’s story begins in 2013, in the midst of their college days at the University of Iowa, back when Facebook ruled the internet world and “adding” someone after having only a brief conversation at The Airliner, a class together, or mutual friends was the normal thing to do. One of them clicked that “add friend” button in April of 2013, not in their wildest dreams imagining it would lead them here. For the first few years, their connection was little more than the few "Happy Birthday!" messages Brendan posted on Allie's Facebook wall, simply hoping to get the attention of a girl he thought was cute. Unbeknownst to both of them, neither quite remembered the other, or even how, when, or if they’d ever actually met. Nonetheless, all of those small Facebook interactions kept their names familiar to each other. So naturally, when other social media came along, they “added” each other there too, eventually exchanging phone numbers somewhere along the way. Over the next few years, their connection grew into a long-distance friendship, where they often shared music recommendations, hiking spots, and little pieces of their lives (and the occasional “hey, we should meet up sometime!” text). Finally, in December of 2022, Brendan decided it was time to truly meet. A few days before Christmas, Brendan was driving from Denver to Illinois, and he knew he would be passing right through where Allie lived - Iowa City. Taking the chance, he asked Allie if she’d like to grab lunch. Despite the heavy snowfall and frigid temperatures that day, she said “yes.” They met at Big Grove Brewery, and from the moment they sat down, something just felt right. They chatted for only an hour or so, but this time around, they both knew they would not forget each other. Soon after (in fact, the very next weekend), Allie and Brendan started visiting each other at every chance they got. Together, they went snowboarding, ice skating, hiking, kayaking, and swimming. They went to state fairs, music festivals, weddings, farmers markets, brunches, and breweries. They celebrated each other’s birthdays (in person this time - not on Facebook!) and met each other’s families, friends, and dogs. They were so smitten that Allie moved to Denver in September of 2023. From there, they continued their adventures together - cycling through the mountains, camping under the stars, snowshoeing across gulches and icy lakes, and hiking around numerous peaks and canyons. They also found immense joy in the small, quieter moments in their daily lives – running errands, home-cooked meals, backgammon, tennis, evening strolls with Gordy, and weekend picnics. They cheered each other on through every endeavor and shared countless laughs, goals, and dreams. On June 25th, 2025, while standing atop the ancient Cahergal Ring Fort in County Kerry, Ireland, Brendan got down on one knee and asked Allie to marry him. Her family watched from below as she first said “wrong hand” and then said “yes.” Allie and Brendan are getting married on June 26th, 2026 – one year and one day from when they got engaged in Ireland. They are so excited!