Photo Gallery

The first picture of Annamarie & Will together, Halloween 2015. Will complained that they had never done a couple's costume, until 2022.

NYE 2015 in Champaign, IL. That night Annamarie lost a necklace Will had given her. She bought another one so he would not know. The necklace was found in his jacket pocket months later.

Annamarie's first Polar Bear experience at SIU.

SIU Polar Bear 2017 when Annamarie told Will she did NOT want a Subway sandwich and he did not realize that that meant she really did.

One of the couple's first trips together to visit their friends Abby & Chris in Chicago.

Annamarie & Will volunteered (pet cats) at St. Francis Care during undergrad. Will could not say no to one kitten and adopted Baxter Lee in 2016.

Will and Annamarie particularly enjoyed going with friends to Blue Sky Winery.

During their senior year, Annamarie & Will made it a goal to visit all wineries on the Southern Illinois wine trail. They have a wine glass from each winery visited.

With their cats, Annamarie is known as the "hands on parent" while Will respects the cats' personal space. Will likes to point to this picture as why his approach is the better one.

Annamarie attended Will's intramural sporting events and was possibly more invested in the team than most participants.

Ringing in 2017 at Will's apartment in Carbondale.

Annamarie, Will, Chris, Abby, and Josh (Gator) went to visit Hunter for unofficial St. Patrick's day. The group describes driving back to Carbondale that night the "best decision they ever made."

Will met Annamarie's friends while taking a Microbiology course. He sat next to Annamarie one day and Annamarie introduced him to her friends weeks later.

The couple graduated from SIU in 2017. After the ceremony, Annamarie told Will she was going to have to teach him how to smile in pictures.

The final group photo in Will's apartment after graduation.

Annamarie & Will met Chris & Abby in Carbondale to visit in fall 2017. The group has not been back to SIU together since.

Annamarie & Will were long distance from 2017-2022 when Annamarie moved to Columbus, Ohio for medical school. Upon moving, Annamarie adopted her own cat, Halsey, to keep her company in the new city.

Another year without a couple's costume.

The couple reserves Saturdays in the fall for college football. This includes watching ESPN's College Gameday. In 2017, they woke up at 6:15AM to get in the front row when the show came to Columbus.

While watching College Gameday, it started to rain which then turned to snow. Annamarie & Will stayed at the show for the full 6 hours.

After thawing off at home, Annamarie & Will attended the OSU-Penn State game where OSU came back from an 11 point deficit in the last 2 minutes, knocking off the #2 ranked Penn State.

Annamarie visiting Will at University of Illinois-Springfield where Will obtained his Master's degree. Will liked to remind Annamarie he had more education than her after he graduated in 2020.

Visiting Carbondale, Illinois for friends' graduation in 2017.

Will visiting Annamarie for "Med-Prom."

Though the couple enjoy Buckeye games, they have only been to 1 OSU basketball game. Even so, Annamarie enjoys making a March Madness bracket every year and, per Will, "takes it too seriously."

Annamarie surprised Will with a visit to Springfield for spring break.

Annamarie & Will reunited in Chicago again in 2018 when Will came up for a visit while Annamarie was at the annual meeting of the American Medical Association.

The Fourth of July is one of Annamarie's favorite holidays. She visited Will for a special 4th in 2018 where they watched fireworks at the capitol.

The couple keeping their skills sharp with a game of water banquet. Annamarie gifted Will the playing table for Christmas at which point he was introduced to the idea of practical gift giving.

The couple's favorite announcer on the College Gameday is Lee Corso--a big fan of Brutus Buckeye. In 2018, the two slept in and only attended the end of the show to avoid standing in the cold.

After OSU's win against Xichigan in 2018, fans stormed the field. Annamarie takes the rivalry so seriously she did not apply to the school up North for residency.

While Will is the more avid gamer, both enjoy gaming together. Some of their favorites include: Civ5, Rocket League, SuperSmashBros, Wii Sports (which results in intense competition).

Will had to visit Lincoln's home in order to be considered a true Springfield resident. They both enjoy learning about history with Will's preference for WWII and Annamarie's for Tudor England.

As the more avid social-media user, Will posted this photo to his Snapchat account one evening. He was later shocked when Annamarie played a perfect game of Battleship.

Both Annamarie and Will love sweets and enjoy making special desserts for the holidays.

New Years 2019. Annamarie wanted to take Will to a local club, however, the line was too long so they watched the ball drop outside of the venue before calling friends/family to say happy new year.

Valentine's day 2020 at a local chocolate shop in Ohio. A few weeks after this, Annamarie's spring break was extended due to COVID19 and Will began working remotely at the Illinois EPA.

Because of the pandemic, the couple began spending more time outdoors on visits. Will decided to teach Annamarie some football moves. After their 1st practice, she requested to learn the Heisman pose.

Will attempting to make homemade ice cream for Annamarie's birthday. Despite many attempts, his desserts have not lived up to the cookie-dough cake Annamarie made him when he turned 21.

Celebrating five years of dating. Will has the better memory of their dating anniversary and has tricked Annamarie into saying the wrong date many times.

Because of COVID precautions, they were unable to spend New Years together. Instead, they Facetimed and played online games together.

Will went with Annamarie to Columbus for her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Annamarie showing Will around Centralia, where she went to high school. They got to see old "Orphans" (the school's mascot) memorabilia and some WWII artifacts which Will particularly enjoyed.

How the couple can be seen most days in Columbus.

Mini golf is one of the couple's favorite pastimes. Although, the series is currently tied so both think it might be time to hang up their putters.

Even if the days of mini golf are over, they also enjoy going to Top Golf. Annamarie hits the yellow every time regardless of club, making her the more consistent golfer, though Will hits further.

Will took Annamarie to the Columbus Zoo for her birthday (so he could see the cheetahs).

In 2021, the couple went on a Fourth of July hike and stumbled across a parade. They were the only two in the crowd not dressed patriotically.

Will helped Annamarie sneak around and decorate her friend's bridal suite the night before the wedding.

Will washing Annamarie's car.

Excited to be back in the 'shoe for football games.

Annamarie's reaction after petting a reindeer on the streets of Ohio.

Ringing in the New Year more casually.

Will moved to Columbus in January 2022.

With Will now in Columbus, Annamarie took advantage of having a ride to school.

Both being Ohioans, they hosted an AFC championship game to cheer the Bengals on to the Super Bowl.

Will insisted the two go golf one Saturday. It poured down rain as they were the furthest away from the clubhouse & they skipped several holes after getting lost.

Chris & Abby came to visit for St. Patrick's Day. Annamarie & Will had an Irish themed lunch with all green sides and loaded baked potatoes.

Will started taking Annamarie to nice restaurants every weekend in the lead-up to his proposal.

Will proposed on April 29th, 2022 by putting the ring on Annamarie's cat, Halsey. Annamarie had a final exam that day and always picked up Halsey when she returned home, so Will knew she would see it!

Annamarie cannot remember the words Will used to ask her to marry him, but she knows she said yes!

To celebrate, the couple went out for dinner and drinks that evening.

The week of Annamarie's graduation, the two came down with COVID. Annamarie was much more sick than Will.

Because of COVID, Annamarie missed her graduation. Will took her on a photo shoot once both had recovered.

The couple began watching Formula 1 racing this fall. Annamarie is a Daniel Riccardo fan, while Will's favorite team is Redbull Racing.

For Annamarie's birthday, Will took her to Cedarpoint to ride rollercoasters. Both had fun, but Will was sick from the rides by the time they left.

Going on one of (many) hikes around Columbus.

Annamarie and Will like to get cocktails at Lincoln Social, a rooftop bar in Columbus.

They have enjoyed watching Ohio State Buckeye football this season.

Annamarie's friend Katie came to watch the Ohio State Buckeyes take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Every night, the couple watches Youtube videos together, and particularly enjoy comedian Kurtis Conner. Here, they are at his show when he came to the Columbus Theatre.

At the 2022 Columbus Oktoberfest.

In September, they visited Carbondale, Illinois after a long hiatus for a friend's wedding.

While in Carbondale, they visited Will's college apartment. He was excited to see it decorated for the holidays.

On a hike in Columbus to see the fall foliage.

In October Will moved offices. The couple embarked on their first "home-improvement" project and painted the walls company colors over the course of a weekend.

Their first couple's costume as Max Verstappen (F1 driver) and the black & white chequered flag.

They spent NYE in Atlanta at the Peach Bowl and toured many college football stadiums in the South.