How We Met

Rylee and Tom met where all great relationships start… Tinder. She right-swiped on the cute guy with the dog and he sent her a cheeky “You look like you’re partying your a** off on that boat” to get the conversation going.

Tom works in manufacturing and loves laser engraving. When I was getting to know Rylee and Tom during our Zoom wedding consultation, Rylee warned me that Tom was probably going to try to have something custom-engraved for their 2021 wedding.

Rylee has dual professional interests, working in both accounting and the education/consulting arena, focusing specifically on advocating for students with special needs.

And last but not least, Augie Doggie, and nine-year-old Chihuahua, is the third member of Rylee and Tom’s little family. Fun fact: Augie is named after a character from the golden age of cartoons.

Tom and Rylee both identify as extroverts and love being around the people they love. They both agree that one of those “Wow, I’m in love!” moments happened when they were at Streeter’s with a group of Tom’s friends and they were at opposite ends of the bar having interesting conversations. They got to see the other person in their element chatting, laughing, and sharing a drink all while knowing their partner was still there for them, too.

How They Asked

Tom’s family has a lake house in Canada, and every summer during “Family Week” his family descends on this cottage for a full week of home-cooked meals, drinks, swimming, boating, hiking, and celebration. There was a running joke that the cottage was cursed because Tom had brought a few girlfriends up there before but they never lasted through the rest of the summer.

Rylee clearly broke the curse because on her third time back up to Family Week, Tom proposed. He knew that it was so important to Rylee to have my parents there, so he invited them to make the trip as well. They had just finished taking Christmas pictures when Tom asked for one shot of just the two of them… So, everyone filed inside to press their faces up against the glass and watch.

Rylee had no idea he was proposing because it went something like, “I love you so much, we do such dope stuff together. Do you want to do dope stuff together forever?” (This is an inside joke based on a Dave Chappelle/Kanye West skit) and of course, Rylee said yes!

With the engagement ring on Rylee’s finger, they celebrated over glasses of champagne, rode on the boat with their families, and ended the night by washing the dishes and snacking on ice cream cake. (Fun fact: Rylee and Tom are planning to serve ice cream cake at their 2021 wedding reception, too!)