It was June 2019. Maddi had recently moved to Columbus and made a new group of girl friends, one of which included now Bridesmaid, Riley Neuhardt. One weekend, Brandon and Groomsman Taylor Larr called Riley to invite her to the Ribs & Jazz festival. She informed them she was downtown bar hopping with some girls. Ribs & Jazz were promptly forgotten.

Brandon and Taylor caught up with the group at Short North Pint House and joined the bar hop. At one point, Brandon ever-so-smoothly asked Maddi, "So, do you have a boyfriend?" Maddi laughed and replied with a "no". The two exchanged numbers with a promise to meet up in the future.

To this day, Brandon still has not been to the Ribs & Jazz festival...

Brandon and Maddi currently live in Hilliard, Ohio with the best worst decision ever made -- our 110lb Rottwieler, Fitzgerald -- and the came-with-her-but-is-slowly-growing-on-him furry ball of teeth and claws, Isabella the Siamese.

When they aren't being bossed around by their four-legged task masters, Maddi and Brandon enjoy listening to True Crime podcasts, binge watching family dramas, "just browsing" at Target, milling about at Crooked Can Brewing, chasing Taco Trucks, kayaking and hiking around Columbus, and staring longingly into each others' eyes.

Brandon and Maddi have always enjoyed getting away and it all started on labor day in 2019. The pair packed up and drove to Washington DC for a weekend away. They've traveled every year since on Labor Day to commemorate that first trip. It's a tradition they look forward to continuing even after they have a new anniversary to celebrate.

But that isn't all the travel they have had the chance to do. Maddi and Brandon are lucky enough to have wonderful family and friends they can join on adventures as well. To the beach, to the lake, or out to the woods, Maddi and Brandon have made so many incredible memories away from home with those that they love.

For the propsal, Brandon enlisted the help of Bridesmaids Shelly Ferguson and Maddie Oney to plan an event that would serve many purposes. Get everyone together - get everyone dressed up - get something to calm the nerves - a Friends-giving checked all those boxes.

It was important for both Brandon and Maddi to share the moment of their engagement with their families. So after finishing up with Friends-giving, Groomsman Blake Hampshire and Groomsman Ian Ferguson came up with the brilliant and totally unplanned idea to go to Crooked Can Brewing for some drinks afterwards. Brandon had already arranged for the families to be waiting there.

Maddi and Brandon stopped at home to let Fitz out (and definitely not to give Maddie and Shelly a chance to get everyone in position) before heading over. When they arrived, instead of walking to the brewery Brandon led Maddi to the ampitheatre across the street. Maddi was confused, cold, and a little frustrated as to why they were not walking towards the warm bar on this cold November night but when she saw her niece's bright pink jacket she quickly understood.

Groomsman Jordan Seich had helped lay out candles (and some rose petals that didn't stick around). Matrons of Honor Alex Nguyen and Randi Taylor had helped pick out the ring. There, in front of a soon-to-be-lit Christmas Tree and everyone they loved, Brandon knelt down and asked Maddi to marry him. She didn't even say yes. She just nodded and cried. But that said it all.