Once upon a time, in 2005, a young woman named Lauren found herself wandering through Dillon Hall at Notre Dame. As she passed by a room, she caught a glimpse of someone playing Guitar Hero alone. The sight left her feeling a bit repulsed, and she continued on her way, not thinking much of it.

The following year, in 2006, the same person from the room got a job as a clerk at the convenience store on campus, working the graveyard shift. Lauren, after her gym sessions, would often visit the store in the middle of the night to buy energy bars and Powerade. Despite the clerk's general scorn towards customers, Lauren noticed that he tended to linger and chat with her. She found him reading books at the counter, seemingly trying to ignore his job. Every time she left the store, she would head to the library to study, and she made sure to mention this to the clerk.

Eventually, the clerk's curiosity got the better of him, and he decided to venture to the library to join Lauren at her table. They began to spend more time together and gradually became friends. After about a month, they planned a celebratory dinner to mark the end of their final exams, which turned out to be their first date. They enjoyed fajitas at Chilis and later shared their first kiss. From that moment on, they remained a couple, and their love continued to grow.

Two years later, they moved to Chicago and got their first apartment together. A year after that, they welcomed two furry companions, Hana and Kaz. In 2012, they decided to embark on a new adventure and moved to New York City. Then, in late 2019, they returned to Chicago. In 2020, they expanded their family once more by bringing home Kuma. In 2022, they took a big step in their journey together by buying a home and not long after that, they got engaged.

Throughout the years, they have shared many incredible experiences, traveling to various places together, including Tokyo, Seoul, Los Roques, New York, Fort Worth, Houston, Seattle, Chicago, Indianapolis, Walloon Lake, Yellow Creek Lake, Memphis, Berlin, Munich, and London. Now, they can add another milestone of getting married in Key West, Florida!

Congratulations to you and your families!