As most know, Brad is a man of few words. So, in his vision of our story is we met online, we dated, we fell in love, and we are now getting married.

Chad’s version of our story is a little more elongated as most can imagine. We both relocated to Minneapolis, MN about a month apart. We finally connected a year later through an online dating app. After exchanging numerous emails, we finally decided to take the next BIG step and shared our phone numbers so we could text each other.

Due to both traveling for business and pleasure, we finally coordinated an in-person meeting, not sure either of us would consider it a date. It was a late autumn Sunday... December 13, 2015. Chad was early as usual when Brad came in "right on the time" to Harriet's Place in south Minneapolis. While we were there we conversed and got to know each other while watching football on TV. When we left, we both agreed to stay in touch. A week or so later, we attended the Guthrie Theater to view Dicken’s A Christmas Carol. Then on the third date, we went out with a small group of Chad's friends for New Years Eve.

When the clock struck midnight, we all toasted the New Year. Brad then turned into a pumpkin and scurried home. Outside Chad's friends were moving on to the next place to celebrate. Chad stayed behind, being a perfect gentleman, and waited with Brad for his Uber. His car arrived and with a quick hug he was off for the night.

We continued to stay in contact and met for various hiking, dinner, sporting and theatrical dates. Later that year Chad took Brad on a car trip out to the Black Hills for a long weekend to explore some of his beloved state of South Dakota. Then Brad eventually started to join Chad on his frequent trips to Sioux Falls to visit his family, more family, some friends and then even more family.

Eventually we decided to take our first long overseas trip together when we went over to Thailand in late fall 2017 for a two-week vacation. It was on this trip that Brad shared with Chad that he had told his family about us and surprised Chad by sharing with him that he also told his family we were both coming back to Rochester, NY for the Christmas holiday.

Upon returning from a magical trip to Thailand, Brad learned and shared with Chad that his brother, sister-in-law, and nephew were coming to Minneapolis to visit him and to meet Chad too (or as Chad puts it to scope him out and provide a report to the parents before his arrival a few weeks later in Rochester, NY).

Since that autumn day in 2015, we have purchased a home together, survived the pandemic, moved from one state to another state, traveled throughout the United States and the world together. Through it all we began to develop and nurture a stronger bond as we got to know each other and built the love and admiration that exists today between the two of us.

The two of us can't wait to see what the future has instore for us, and we look forward to sharing our special day with our family and friends.

Photos