How it all started....

 

Joel is from Indianapolis, and went to college at Indiana University. Kate is from New Castle, a small country town an hour's drive from Indianapolis, and went to college at the University of Miami. Although Joel was roommates at IU with some of Kate's best guy friends from high school, they had never met.

 

THEN, their senior year on New Year's Eve 2009, Katie Kollmeyer, one of Kate's best childhood girlfriends, persuaded Kate into going out with the old high school gang to ring in the new year. However, because they were all poor college students, no one had money to spend on both a nice dinner AND going out to the club. The mysterious Joel Myers whom Kate had never met, offered to host a dinner beforehand at his house in Indianapolis.

 

Kate, of course, went with her friends to Joel's house and had an incredible time. She came home that night and told her parents, "I just met the guy I'm going to marry." She saw Joel one more time that winter break before she had to go back to Miami. 

 

Long story longer, Joel and Kate kept in touch, and Joel even went to Florida with his friends to visit on their spring break. Kate graduated in May, came home to Indiana for two weeks, spent every waking moment with Joel, and then left AGAIN to do theatre for the summer in the Adirondacks. 

 

THUS, a 2 year long distance relationship was born. Kate continued to move for her work (New York City to Los Angeles to everywhere in between for gigs), and Joel, in typical Joel style, was mister strong and steady. When they could do long distance no longer, Joel quit his job, packed up his life, and moved in with Kate in an apartment in West Hollywood. 

 

Now, after a grand total of four years as girlfriend and boyfriend, Joel has promoted them to fiance status. Needless to say, it has been quite a ride. Who knows where life will take them next, but they are excited to do it together!