Our story began with a bit of spontaneity. Back in 2017, Maria received a last-minute invitation from her sister Grace to join a group of friends at a lakehouse in Michigan City, Indiana, right after senior prom. Little did she know, this invitation was no ordinary one—it was where she would meet Aidan for the first time. Aidan was part of that very group staying at the lakehouse that weekend. The original plan had been for him to be there with his then-girlfriend, but as things sometimes go, they broke up just before the trip, opening up a spot. That’s when Maria received her last minute invite. Despite the chance meeting, we didn't connect during the lakehouse stay. Our paths didn't cross in a significant way, and we exchanged socials, but nothing more. However, fate had other plans. Months later, our paths crossed again, and we decided to meet up at UIC the following weekend. It was during that visit that Aidan made his move—literally swooping in with a kiss at the end of the night, marking the beginning of something truly special. Seven and what will be at the time 8 years later, we're still celebrating that magical moment that started it all and looking forward to many more chapters together.