Chris and Maddie’s story began on September 9, 2022, when mutual friends introduced them. From the very start, they talked on FaceTime nearly every day and night, quickly realizing there was something special between them. Chris didn’t waste much time trying to plan their first date—though it took a couple of attempts to convince Maddie to make the trip.

The first time, Maddie claimed she wasn’t feeling well (really, she was just very nervous). The second time, she insisted on staying home for a family dinner because her sister was visiting from college. Finally, on September 24, 2022, Maddie made the drive to Coralville to meet Chris in person for the first time.

Although she had been counting down the days, Maddie’s nerves got the best of her—so much so that Chris had to help “pull” her out of her car. Once the introductions were over, everything felt easy. They hopped into Chris’s family’s 1967 Buick Skylark and spent hours driving around Coralville and Iowa City, talking nonstop and getting to know each other. Chris made things even more memorable by driving around every roundabout five or six times—a habit that Maddie still hasn’t forgiven.

They eventually stopped for dinner and a trip to Scheels, where Chris insisted he needed to buy socks. Maddie later learned that this was the excuse Chris had given his parents, since he hadn’t told them he was going on a date. Afterward, neither of them wanted the night to end. Maddie drove back home to Illinois, and before the night was over, they were back on FaceTime—where Chris asked Maddie to be his girlfriend.

Four years later, that first date has led them here, and they can’t wait to celebrate the next chapter with all of you.