We like to joke that we met through "our moms" — because we did.

Luke had recently moved from South Carolina to Utah, still finding his footing in a new city. Meanwhile, his stepmom and Emily's mom had been crossing paths at the barn for years, bonding over horses the way only horse people do. One afternoon, Jill turned to Pam and asked, "Didn't you say you have a daughter around Luke's age?" A few texts later, Luke reached out — and Emily invited him to join her and some friends at Second Summit Cider for beers and pickleball.

It was a great time. Nothing romantic, and frankly, they went their separate ways after that— until a weekly beer league kickball game brought Luke back into the picture.

They fell into an easy rhythm — weekly kickball games, the occasional post-game drink, sometimes with friends, sometimes just the two of them. They talked about everything, including their relationship problems with other people, blissfully unaware of what was right in front of them.

Then Emily invited Luke on a backpacking trip — along with her friend Bekah and rescue dog Brodie (and Bekah's rescue dog Cheena!)

Luke said yes.

There, somewhere on a mountainside — the two of them tucked among ancient pines at dusk, cooking backpacker's chili mac on the rocks and laughing until their sides hurt — something shifted. The mountains have a way of making things clear. They came home knowing something had changed — they were just both too scared to say it out loud.

Eventually, they figured it out.

What started as Emily's dog is now our dog, and somehow, through horses, kickball, and backpacker's chili mac, we found our way to each other. We can't wait to celebrate with all of you at Deer Valley Resort on September 5, 2027.