Our Love story

Our journey began at the Illinois Institute of Art- Chicago also known as AI, where we first crossed paths as co-workers. At that time I was a high school recruiter, and Ali was the Associate Director of Admissions. Though we worked in the same space, our interactions were brief and infrequent.

After we both transitioned from AI, life led us down separate paths. Unknowingly, those paths were destined to cross again. Years later, we reconnected on a Christian dating app where we both swiped right without knowing the incredible adventure that was ahead of us.

Fast forward three years, and here we are, engaged, deeply in love, and ready to spend forever together. What started as a casual work connection has turned into a lifetime commitment. We are excited to embark upon this new chapter in our lives

Our Proposal Story

The day of the proposal was one full of excitement and a little bit of last-minute panic! Rachel and I were getting ready to go to what she thought was a “professional photo shoot.” I had the ring box in my inside suit jacket pocket, but as I was getting dressed, I realized the box was poking through, clearly visible from the outside. I panicked—Rachel’s going to notice!

In a split second, I decided to leave the house and get a car wash, hoping the fresh air would help me think of a way to hide the ring. After a few moments of what-do-I-do-now, I came up with a plan: I’d tuck the ring inside the garment bag we were bringing for the photo shoot. Problem solved!

We got back to the house to pick up Rachel, and we left for the venue. As we arrived, I spotted my dad and uncle walking in. At that moment, I realized the surprise wasn’t just about the proposal—our families were waiting to celebrate with us! I had to stall for a moment to make sure I didn’t spoil the surprise by running into someone we knew.

Once we finally made our way into the park’s clubhouse, I was able to pull the ring out of the garment bag, and as soon as Rachel opened the door to see our friends and family gathered, I dropped to one knee. I asked her to marry me, and the look on her face—joy, shock, love—was absolutely priceless.

She said “YES!” and, honestly, it was a moment I’ll never forget.