They first met online on a dating app and, after talking for a couple days, they decided to meet in person. Sarah felt comfortable “because he wasn’t pushy about meeting up” and they met at Noodles & Company in the early fall of 2017. “We ended up talking for maybe 3 hours at the restaurant,” Sarah said. “I can be painfully shy sometimes and this was my first date with a guy as an adult so I remember reminding myself to make eye contact and try to make a good impression. After being in the restaurant for that long, we still weren’t really ready to let the date end so he offered to go to a park down the road. We took a walk along the trail and, after the walk, we talked some more at a picnic table where he showed me some of his magic tricks (that’s what sealed the deal, haha). We ended up exchanging numbers after that and been together ever since.”

Four years later, Michael recreated that first date for his marriage proposal. “We returned to the park a day after our 4 year anniversary because of work conflict and re-created our date. This time we took the food to go and ate at a bench at the park. She got the wrong order so I ran back to have it replaced. Then we went on a walk and found a nice bridge to stand on and look out over the water. I told her in many words how I felt and asked her to marry me. Even though she knew it was coming at some point (since she helped design the ring), it was still very emotional and memorable.” 

Sarah described Michael as, “He’s not a big romantic gestures kind of guy, but his day-to-day little thoughtful ways of showing his love is what I admire the most. Days where I’m too tired from work to do anything; he’ll take care of everything. I had to completely change my diet and he changed his diet with me and finds things I can have. All the little things he’s done for me adds up to everything I can’t imagine being without. I can’t imagine anyone else doing what he does for me.”