We met at a bar. Technically a pub, and not ENTIRELY by accident. The event was Catholic Speed Dating. And in case your first response is, "wait, that actually works?" here is how it happened. John was an old hand at the speed dating game, having signed on for his fifth round of Guinness and being asked what he did for a living and what his hobbies were again... and again... and... you get the picture. Needless to say, he showed up expecting nothing, but being open to anything. Esther on the other hand had just come off a six-month dating fast thinking and praying about whether she should even get married. Having discerned that her vocation truly was to marriage and family, she took the first opportunity she saw to sharpen her rusty dating skills. She signed up for speed dating, prepared two questions and showed up early to mingle and take stock of the future four-minute dates. John walked in, and being on a first name basis with the organizers (don't judge!), went through the VERY familiar process of getting a name tag, a photograph, and ordering a drink. Sufficiently equipped, he did the natural thing one does at a speed a dating event: He went and found his buddies (to gauge the competition, of course). Over the course of the evening, Esther plied 16 guys with her two questions: 1) What are you currently reading? (to ensure the requisite levels of nerdiness) and 2) What is something you're excited about these days? (to let the guy show off his enthusiasm, or else to expose his crippling vapidity). Before the last date of the evening, the organizers gleefully encouraged the under-imbibed, over-talked, and half-deaf participants to "make the last date a good one!" John sat down and introduced himself to a CLEARLY tired Esther who asked (with a SHRUG!) "What's the best question you've heard all night?" That opened the conversational door to discuss books, how to raise children, and the lessons that we were taught by our parents. In a very short time, Esther sensed an alignment of values between herself and John that she had never experienced before. Then the bell rang and the speed date was over. Since it WAS the last date of the evening, they continued their conversation for another fifteen minutes until the organizers gently encouraged their repeat customer and the lovely newcomer to wrap things up. After a hurried filling out of sheets with yesses and no's John and Esther parted ways. John found his buddies near the bar and promptly parked himself at an appropriate vantage point to catch Esther when she left. Esther stayed behind to thank and chat with the organizers, and after what was to John an agonizing five minutes, left by a side door outside John's view. Thanks be to God, she walked past the main entrance which WAS in John's line of sight. John bolted from his seat after her, and after slowing down a touch, he called out. "Esther!" She turned around in the most BEAUTIFUL way as she responded: "Yes?" "I'd rather not wait till the results come out. May I get your number?" We exchanged numbers that night, got a date on the books, and after four dates in 10 days, moved from going on dates to dating. For the next six months we were repeatedly amazed at the way our upbringing, values, and vision for the future aligned, until we decided to unite our individual visions and build a life together. TL:DR, We met speed dating in March of 2025, didn't waste time and became engaged in September, 2025, and now we are getting married. It's more romantic than you think.