Our story began on November 11, 2016, at a flag football game. As Brad likes to tell it, Kathleen looked back at him three times while walking toward the field. If you ask Kathleen, she'll insist it was only once—but either way, it was enough. What started with a simple exchange of phone numbers quickly turned into spending all of our free time together. Before long, we were bonding over football Sundays, great music, trying new restaurants, spending time with family and friends, and finding reasons to laugh every day.

Long before we met, our families were already connected. Brad's dad spent 45 years working at Dunning Toyota, where he came to know multiple generations of Kathleen's family. In fact, Brad's parents attended Kathleen's grandparents' wedding on the very same property where we'll exchange our vows. Yet despite all of these connections, it wasn't until 2016 that Kathleen and Brad finally met. Looking back, it feels as though our paths were always meant to cross—and when they finally did, we knew we had found something special.

We met in our early twenties and have spent the last nine years growing up together and building a life side by side. We were both students at Eastern Michigan University, balancing full-time jobs while taking full course loads. Between late nights studying, driving to campus together, and squeezing in lunch dates between classes, we learned early on how to support one another through life's busiest seasons. Celebrating our graduations at the top of our classes and beginning our professional careers together were just the first of many milestones we'd accomplish as a team. Those years shaped not only who we became as individuals, but also the partnership we continue to build today.

When Brad met Kathleen, he also inherited a very important relationship—with Lucy, Kathleen's beloved dog. Then, in 2018, we decided our little family needed another member and adopted our first cat, Marley. It didn't take long before we realized one cat wasn't enough, so Ziggy joined the family the following year. Since then, our home has been filled with unconditional love, plenty of laughter, and more pet hair than we'd like to admit.

In 2021, we purchased our first home together and have spent the years since making it our own—one project (and occasional home improvement adventure) at a time. From painting walls and landscaping the yard to building a walkout patio and learning the ins and outs of homeownership, we've built more than just a house; we've created a home that has become our favorite place to be.

One of our favorite things to do together is travel. From visiting family across the country and spending hours laughing over late-night board games in Minnesota, to experiencing our first horse race together at Keeneland in Kentucky, exploring the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, and visiting friends in Montana where we hiked beautiful waterfalls, attended our first rodeo, and cheered on the wildest dirt track racing we've ever seen, every trip has given us memories we'll cherish forever.

Our adventures have also taken us on long weekends to cities like Chicago and Washington, D.C., Caribbean cruises where we taste-tested tequila in Cozumel (one of the few souvenirs Brad actually brought home), and unforgettable visits to both Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon—two places that we still can't decide which is more impressive.

Then, on July 11, 2025, in the beautiful mountains of Big Sky, Montana, and surrounded by Kathleen's loved ones, Brad asked Kathleen to marry him. Her reaction was exactly what you'd expect—lots of jumping, lots of screaming, and an immediate "YES!" It was the most unforgettable moment of our lives and turned an already amazing trip into our favorite memory together.

After spending nearly a third of our lives together, we are so excited to celebrate not only the future we're building, but also the journey that brought us here. Every memory, challenge, adventure, and moment of growth has led us to this day.

Most importantly, we're grateful for the incredible family and friends who have supported us along the way. Thank you for being part of our story. We can't wait to celebrate with you on our wedding day!