It began at Loyola University in Baltimore, Maryland, where a guy from Pittsburgh and a gal from New York crossed paths in a way that felt ordinary at first—but would turn out to be anything but. He met her through a Pathways leadership event hosted by her roommate, and left thinking to himself, 'the blonde one is pretty cute.' On the other hand, she was not so sure about one of her roommate's mentees being her boyfriend. During a walk through Sherwood Gardens, they would share their feelings about one another and C.J. tripped over a tree root, which sent him tumbling to the ground. He quite literally had fallen for Amanda.

Over time, Amanda, who once insisted she didn't want to date him slowly fell too—this time without tripping. Through college days, late night studying at the security desk in Flannery hall, and across oceans in long distance talks while abroad, their love grew. Not even a global pandemic could keep them apart! Eleven years passed not in a blur, but in thousands of shared moments that built a love rooted in patience, friendship, and deep understanding.

In November 2025, C.J. asked the most important question of all, and Amanda said, "yes!" (not without shedding a few happy tears first). What started with hesitation, playfulness, and a literal fall became a love story filled with loyalty and care for each other. We are so excited to celebrate our journey that brought us here—and dance the night away with you all on March 13, 2027!