Our story really started thanks to Ellie’s brother-in-law, Nick — the ultimate matchmaker. After a night of hanging out, Nick showed Tyler a picture of Ellie at a bar. Ellie kindly gave Nick the nod to pass her number along, and Tyler texted her the very next morning. Just a week later, we had our first date in Grandview — a place that quickly became special to us.

From that first night wandering Grandview to cheering on the Crew and traveling the world, we discovered how much we love sharing life’s adventures together — whether it’s exploring new places, spending time with family, or just relaxing at home with our golden retriever, Reggie.

One of our favorite moments was when Tyler asked Ellie to be his girlfriend. It happened on the front porch of the Brexton duplex (shoutout to Megan!), sharing a glass of wine and soaking in the quiet simplicity of that night. After dating and moving in together, Tyler knew Ellie was the one. He proposed with a little white lie about turtles hatching at the Metro Park lake near our home — a perfect surprise that turned into a memory we’ll cherish forever.

Our love story is really made up of the little things: cozy nights in with Croatian wine, laughter filling the room, and Tyler’s promise to show up every two weeks with fresh flowers — a simple reminder that romance is found in everyday moments.

If it weren’t for Nick, none of this would be happening, and we’re endlessly grateful. As we get ready to become the Chumitas, we can’t wait to keep building a life full of love, laughter, and new adventures ahead.