We first crossed paths as colleagues, starting our new jobs on the same day. Our connection was immediate, and our shared interests quickly turned us into good friends. Aleisha eventually moved to Phoenix, Arizona, to be closer to her dad. While distance separated us, we kept in touch, never forgetting to send even a simple 'Happy Birthday' message over the next few years.

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Three years later, in early 2020, our conversations became more frequent, initially through Instagram story responses, which eventually turned to text messages, and later FaceTime calls. Our connection deepened, and we found ourselves falling in love. Mikey started flying down to Arizona to visit Aleisha, and those visits allowed us to get to know each other even more in person. We explored art galleries, dined at amazing restaurants, and stayed at unique hotels in the desert mountains.

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Ultimately, Aleisha decided it was time to move back to Utah in December 2020 to be with family (but mostly to be closer to Mikey), where we continued to grow together and fall even more in love.

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In April of this year, after almost 3 years together, I took Aleisha to the Ashton Gardens’ Tulip Festival where we enjoyed a romantic walk through the entirety of the gardens, talking about our favorite memories together. At the end of the garden tour, I took Aleisha down a quiet side path and told her to look out over a grassy section of the gardens. When she turned back to me, I was down on one knee, nervously but eagerly asking her to marry me. I’m so happy she said yes.

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Our ideal date night would definitely start with good food, perhaps at a dimly lit hole-in-the-wall with extra spicy dishes or a favorite coffee shop with live music. Afterward, it’s all about cultural exploration—an art gallery, quirky exhibit, or museum. Then we’d walk around the park, sharing dessert, and end the night with a glass of wine and our latest video game obsession. And now, we can't wait to share our love story with you at our wedding!