Our relationship basically began as the classic rom-com ‘friends-to-lovers’ trope. While our paths likely crossed many times in high school, it wasn’t until we both stepped foot on the rec soccer field at Michigan State our freshman year that we were finally introduced.

We went from teammates, to best friends, to dating in the span of 2 years.

We fell in love over ice cream from Tasty Twist, a mutual passion for books, and many picturesque hikes through the Upper Peninsula. We stuck together through many challenges, from long-distance summers, to COVID quarantines, and everything in between.

In the summer of 2021, we adopted our beloved pup Wallaby, and the three of us moved out to Richmond, VA — where Allia was finishing the last year of her Master’s program.

In 2023 we moved back to Michigan and purchased a house in Royal Oak (mostly so that Wallaby could have the fenced-in yard she deserved).

A few months after moving in, we traveled to Italy with the Asta family, where Albert carried the engagement ring around in his fanny pack for 10 days — from Venice, to Florence, to wineries across Tuscany. It wasn’t until the last night of the trip that, on a walk through Villa Borghese in Rome, he got down on one knee and popped the question.

From there, the rest is history…