Our Love Story
~
Our Love Story ~
Sam’s Side
Henry and I didn’t have a traditional start to our relationship. In true Gen Z fashion, we matched on Tinder…but not for the reasons you think.
Having moved across the country for college, I was on the hunt for frat parties, and Henry looked like he could provide an invitation. Henry, a new frat boy enjoying the fruits of surviving his freshman year, was happy to oblige.
I met him at Sigep on a Thursday night, ready to get into some good ol’ college fun. As he handed me wrist bands there was a slight pause. I said “Thanks!” and I kid you not, he just shouted
“YOU ARE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL I’VE EVER SEEN”.
Then, in true silly Henry fashion, he pulled a friend over to us and told that guy to tell me I was beautiful too. I laughed, then walked into the party.
We talked every once in a while after that, but we didn’t see each other again for months. Henry occasionally would ask me out, but I was busy navigating college life. It wasn’t until that winter, when my parents decided to move from Connecticut to Arizona, that I finally took him up on his offer. Since Henry was Scottsdale born and raised, he happened to be my only friend in town over break. I tagged along with him to a party his high school friends were hosting, and, to my surprise, I saw a more genuine side of him. I knew he was funny, but seeing how much these people love him changed things. That night, I finally decided I liked him; I pulled him aside and we kissed.
The bubble of winter break was one thing, but back at school was quite another. The distractions of the University of Arizona constantly pulled us in different directions. We tried to keep it up, but time and time again, it just didn’t work out. Then COVID happened, and things fizzled.
We found our way to each other during our junior year, fall of 2021. That became our pattern: on again, off again. After a few months, we were off again…for what we both thought was for good.
The funny thing is, we kept finding each other anyway. Drunken phone calls were common, and once in a blue moon, I’d find myself driving to his place.
In May of 2022 we both graduated from U of A, armed with bachelor’s degrees and single as ever. Henry moved back home with his parents to Scottsdale to begin his teaching career and spent most weekends out in Old Town with his best friends. I moved back home too, just a few miles away in Gilbert, though I found much more solitude in my situation than Henry did. I had a remote job and didn’t know many people my age in town.
I never stopped thinking about that boy from SigEp. Eventually, curiosity (and a couple glasses of wine) got the best of me and I texted him.
Henry’s Side
When I received the text, I was sitting by the fire with my best man, Stokley Berg. I turned to him and said, “BRO, guess who just texted me. The Samantha Moran!” It took about a month before I really set up a plan to see her. She was probably thinking, same old Henry! But realistically, I knew if I saw this girl, it was game over because we all know Samantha Moran is the person for me.
We started to hang out again, and it was great. She was very adamant about a plan she had to move to a different state, but that did not stop me from wanting to see her. On January 16th we went to the movies, and she asked me to be her boyfriend. SHE BEAT ME TO THE PUNCH! Still to this day, I have no idea if I actually think Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is the best movie ever or if it is because Samantha and I started dating that day.
As we continued dating, Samantha decided to stay in Arizona, and that is when our relationship really started to blossom. After about a year, we moved in together. We learned a lot about each other and truly just got better and better. I started to improve my wardrobe. Samantha started to improve her patience. But in all seriousness, we improved as individuals.
The Proposal
One sunny day, I realized it was time to start planning the proposal. I called up my best man, Stokley Berg, and said, “I need your artsy fartsy brain to help plan this.” Being a school teacher made it much easier to run around and grab all the items I needed. But when Samantha started asking, “Where are you going?” I had to come up with some elaborate lies. I started to feel guilty about sneaking around and coming up with not so great excuses. In that moment, I knew asking Samantha to be my wife was a smart move.
Fast forward. The time had come! I told Samantha we were going on a picnic but that she should wear something nice? At that moment, she had to know what was about to happen. We walked up to a perfect spot at Papago Park that was surrounded by Sam Danoff and Stokley Berg’s outstanding gardening skills. I gave Samantha a heartfelt speech that I could not finish. She will hear the rest at the wedding. As I got down on one knee, I asked Samantha Moran to marry me. P.S. If you were wondering, I actually was able to get those words out.
Afterward, we went to my brother’s house to celebrate with family and friends. When we opened the door to the surprise, it was us starting our new journey together.
It will not always be easy, but knowing I have her by my side, there will not be anything we cannot accomplish together. I want to end this by saying that love is not supposed to be easy. You should fight for it because when you meet the person who truly makes you feel that kind of love, it is worth fighting for.
That leads us to why you’re here: on December 5, 2026, we’ll finally make it official and throw a party just a little classier than that frat party where it all started (we hope).