Welcome to a Winslow Ever After!

Our story began with a nudge from my brother and a game of 21 Questions during fishing opener. We bonded over our mutual love for dogs and spent weeks getting to know each other through long-distance texts. The turning point was a flight across the country. What was supposed to be a quick layover in LA turned into a first meeting, a first kiss in a Jeep, and a spontaneous trip to my uncle's cabin in Truckee, California. Between the mountain air, the sunsets, and long conversations with Cait, I knew I had found the one. We went into that weekend as strangers and I left that weekend knowing I’d found my forever.

My now sister-in-law, Jessie, had recently reconnected with her high school sweetheart, Kyle. As they started dating again, she kept mentioning that Kyle had a younger brother my age who was single. At the time, I was in college, had been single for a long while, and had absolutely no interest in a relationship. Eventually, Jessie ignored me completely and gave my number to Collin without asking. He texted me, and I figured I’d text the kid back. What started as a simple conversation turned into months of texting, phone calls, and following each other on social media - even though I was living in California and Collin was in Minnesota. A few months later, Kyle booked a trip for himself and Collin to visit their Druncle (Drunk Uncle!!) Jarrod in Truckee, CA, their flight had a layover at LAX - just ten minutes from the salon where Jessie and I worked. That layover became the moment everything changed. Meeting Collin in person for the first time felt easy - like everything just clicked. People always say, “when you know, you know,” and I finally understood what that meant. He made me laugh in a way no one else ever had, and from that moment on, I felt completely at home with him. We even stepped outside to my Jeep, and I completely forgot I was at work. I texted Jessie and told her I was going to take Collin to the beach and show him around Los Angeles. She (very responsibly) reminded me that he still had a plane to catch and apparently, I needed to come back to work!! Instead, Kyle surprised us both by booking Jessie and I a flight to Druncle’s cabin. That trip was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. Collin and I bonded instantly, and from that moment on, we were inseparable. What followed were countless trips back and forth between CA and MN. Five years later, here we are - building a life together, raising our three beautiful dogs, and preparing to get married. Even through long distance, we chose each other every time. Collin is my best friend, my greatest love, and my soulmate - and I truly believe soulmates find their way home.