Emily & Cody were friends of friends and in the same room a ton of times (even got stuck in an elevator together), but never seemed to connect until one fateful night at Hopsmith in downtown Chicago. It was a friends birthday (shoutout Sara Logar!) and they were out celebrating. The music was bumping and everyone was out on the dance floor. It was at that time that their eyes finally connected. Emily and Cody slowly danced towards each other until they needed another refreshment. Emily asked Cody if he wanted to go to the bar for a drink. Cody immediately said yes. They walked over to the bar and took a shot together. Cody took the quiet moment to ask for her number. Emily denied him but Cody knew there was something there so he kissed her.

Cody and Emily's first date involved the exchange of stories over tacos, set against Day of the Dead decor at Estrella Negra in Chicago. They extended their date to Logan Arcade, a place close to Emily's heart. Emily ordered them drinks and Cody comically asked for a stout by mistake but, in good spirits, managed to choke it down anyways. A swift realization dawned on them as they uncovered numerous shared interests, especially their deep affection for video games and early 2000's emo music. This unforgettable evening cemented the certainty that they were destined to spend much more time together.

Emily and Cody's second date held special significance as it unfolded on New Year's Day. Emily, opting for a laid-back approach, chose to spend the day in sweatpants, watching movies. Curious to see if Cody, her new crush, would join her, she invited him. Luckily, Cody was free, and they spent the entire day watching films such as Bird Box, Butterfly Effect, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. This particular date remains a cherished memory for them, and they often laugh when recalling how Cody, while fetching the Chinese food he had ordered for them, tumbled halfway down her long flight of stairs. Cody attempted to quickly recover, assuring Emily that he was fine, while she struggled to contain her laughter. As he took another step, he ended up tumbling the rest of the way down. When Cody opened the door for the delivery man, the concerned look on his face added to the humor of the situation. Despite Cody's best efforts to remain cool after that, they both couldn't help but cry laughing at how it all played out.

Fast forwarding a few years, Cody and Emily found themselves in a new chapter of life—one that unfolded after the challenges of the COVID era, navigating through career changes, embracing the joys and responsibilities of caring for their dog Cooper, and establishing a home of their own in Downers Grove. Finally, the time had come to make official what they both knew to be true. Cody and Emily's engagement story is a tale of careful planning, laughter, and a touch of surprise. Cody, having the advantage of growing up next door to a jeweler, crafted Emily's dream ring. The venue, however, needed to be a surprise, and Cody ingeniously chose a casual dog day at the Morton Arboretum. Cody booked the day a month in advance to make sure their calendar was clear. While Emily was stressing about her new company headquarters opening the following day that she was heavily involved in, Cody had to convince her to not go to the office on a Sunday and stick to their dog day plans. Due to the weather being so nice and that they were going for a hike, nicer pants would've been an obvious giveaway that something was up. Emily also always brought all of the dog things in a fanny pack so a bag for Cody was out of the question. He had to walk carefully to one side so Emily didn't see the ring box bulging out of his back pocket. With Cooper as his accomplice they headed to the Arboretum and were on their way to find the perfect spot. Emily wanted to head down towards a creek to get cooper some water. They let him off leash and watched him splash around and cool off. Emily paused to admire the weather and the atmosphere and said "I could do this forever." Cody, hearing those words sprung to action, got down on one knee, and said " Do you want to?" Then Cody's knee slipped off the log he knelt upon and Emily was filled with laughter and exclaimed, "Yes!" They finished their walk through the Arboretum searching for someone to take their picture with Emily's new bling! Once accomplished they headed home. Emily was soaking in the moment but was eager to tell her friends and family the exciting news. Little did she know, Cody had arranged for their immediate families to surprise them at their home when they returned. When they pulled into their driveway, the garage door opened, and Emily was greeted by congratulations and an engagement party. She was overwhelmed with gratitude and impressed that Cody pulled off the best surprise ever!!