It was a late summer's night in 2010 at the beer Olympics for Michigan Tech undergrads Amanda and Matt. The two had been friends since they met at a pizza parlor earlier that semester, and they were both drawn by the other's genuine and caring personalities - but they were about to see each other in a completely new light. Toward the end of the night, after countless voyages to the bottom of red solo cups, Amanda watched Matt dance like a man who hadn't a care in the world. That was the first moment she realized that she might actually spend forever with this guy.

The bond they forged that semester withstood four whole years of long-distance while they supported each other through losses and victories. This well-humored couple attributes their tenacious love to several factors: Their core beliefs, shared Irishness, their love of skiing, and their great affection for their beautiful, stupid cats. Not to mention the steadfast love and support of their large families behind them. To celebrate this beginning of a new chapter in their lives, Matt and Amanda returned to Amanda's childhood home of Traverse City, Michigan; Against the sweeping backdrop of Grand Traverse Bay and peninsulas bedecked with rolling vineyards, they celebrated the first day of their newest adventure together.