Like many modern love stories, ours began on Hinge. Our first date was on November 19, 2024. The conversation flowed for over three hours and felt effortless. We covered all the important topics — travel, moving to Atlanta, family, friends, jobs, sports (MSU and Butler basketball, Cubs, Bills, Chiefs — Travis and Taylor), and Mike discovered with absolute disbelief that Lauren had never seen Hoosiers… despite graduating from Butler.

Somewhere between the laughs and stories, Mike quietly decided Lauren might just be the one.

The first real test of our relationship came quickly: a trip to Kansas City for the AFC Championship on January 26, 2025 — Bills vs. Chiefs. With Mike being a very devoted Bills fan and Lauren cheering loudly for Taylor, Travis, and the Chiefs, the weekend was truly a house-divided situation. Thankfully our relationship survived (despite the Bills loss), and the trip kicked off one of our favorite shared hobbies: flying Delta and maximizing Hyatt points while seeing as much of the world as possible.

Since then, we’ve traveled everywhere from Jamaica, Buffalo, San Diego, 30A, Paris, Budapest, Vienna, Mexico, New Orleans and Napa with plenty more adventures ahead.

At home in Atlanta, we’re happiest doing the simple things. We love spending time with friends and family, walking the BeltLine, taking Louie on strolls through Chastain Park, cooking at home, and trying new restaurants and bars around the city. Mike has also expanded his beverage horizons since meeting Lauren, graduating from a strict “just beer” policy to enjoying martinis and manhattans. Progress.

Lauren has accepted sports "busy season" is basically year-round thanks to the Bills, Michigan State basketball and Cubs schedule. And Mike has fully embraced life with Louie, despite initially claiming he was “allergic.” Turns out love (and Zyrtec) are stronger than seasonal allergies — ha!

We also share a love for Christmas, especially Atlanta’s pop-up Christmas bars and the Botanical Garden holiday lights. But most of all, we simply love spending time together — whether we’re exploring a new city or just hanging out at home.

On February 28, 2026, Mike proposed in Piedmont Park on a perfect sunny afternoon. It came as a complete surprise to Lauren (her nails weren’t even done!), and it was even more special because friends and family were nearby to celebrate right after she said 'yes.'

And now we can’t wait for the next chapter — starting with celebrating in Tuscany with all of you.