How We Got Here
Our
Story
As all great love stories do... ours began with single sign on and multi-factor authentication. It took a little Chicago magic to bring us together in person. Derek flew in from Minneapolis for Dead & Company at Wrigley Field, and stopped by the office, where he met Caroline face-to-face for the first time. That same trip, a lucky break — an extra ticket to a Taylor Swift candlelight dinner — turned into our first date.
Derek flew back to Chicago soon after for our first official date at Geja's Café in Lincoln Park, and from there, the distance never stood a chance. For three years, with Caroline in River North and Derek in Minneapolis, we made it work, filling the miles between us with adventures: Japan, Napa Valley, Red Rocks, Tulum, Cape Cod, Grand Marais, and back to Caroline's home state, North Carolina.
On March 20th, 2026, Derek proposed in Chicago, catching Caroline completely by surprise. We celebrated that night the same way our story began — over dinner at Geja's Café. Three months later, Caroline made the move to Minnesota, closing the distance for good.
Now, we're excited to say "I do" in March 2027.
