We met in 2017 at the Mizzou vs. KU “Border War” exhibition basketball game at the Sprint Center in Kansas City on October 22nd. Keeley had driven her Chi Omega girlfriends from Mizzou, and Charlie was there with his dad and brothers. While our friends were busy flirting, we exchanged a few words about how funny it all was—and even though KU beat us (93–87, we know… painful), something much better came out of that day. A few days later, on October 24th, we saw each other again at a tailgate in Columbia. Keeley took a photo of Charlie and—true to Gen Z form—sent it to him via Snapchat the next day: October 25, 2017. We exchanged numbers, started dating soon after, and basically couldn’t leave each other’s side from then on. Before Keeley left for London just three weeks later, we spent Thanksgiving together and met each other’s families. Keeley always celebrates Thanksgiving with her dad’s side in Kansas City, so it worked out perfectly. On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, we went to the Plaza Lighting and stopped by Keeley’s cousin Laura’s apartment—the very one she used to share with Charlie’s cousin, Linda. That’s when we realized how small the world really is. It felt like we could’ve crossed paths so many times before—but this was the one that stuck. When Keeley flew to London for a six-month study abroad, it could’ve been the end of the story—but instead, it was just the beginning. We talked daily through FaceTime and texts, really getting to know each other. When Keeley returned in May, Charlie picked her up from the St. Louis airport—on our six-month anniversary—and we headed straight to the Beta Theta Pi Pig Roast formal at Lake of the Ozarks. Charlie later shared, during his proposal, that it was on that drive he knew he was going to marry her. We’re both the youngest of four—Charlie is one of three boys with one sister, and Keeley is one of three girls with one brother. A few years (and a lot of laughter) later, we made a spontaneous move to California “just for six months.” Keeley planned to continue teaching, and Charlie had landed a significant internship with William Morris Endeavor (WME) to kickstart his career in the music industry. Then COVID hit, and both of those plans fell through. During that time, Keeley had the opportunity to visit a vineyard on Howell Mountain that her dad was considering buying from his cousin, Allen. After a 30-hour road trip (Charlie drove 29 of them), we made it to Napa Valley. Charlie jokes that he “did something no one’s ever done before—followed a girl to California.” It hasn’t always been easy, but four years later, here we are: happy, healthy, and building a life we’re proud of in wine country. On October 25, 2025, we’ll celebrate eight years together—and we can’t wait to share this place and this moment with all of you. The reason you’re here reading this is because you’ve made an impact on our lives. This is one of the only times all the people we love will be in one place—to celebrate our story, our love, and the community that shaped us. (Photo below: the picture that started it all.)