Paul and Sydney first crossed paths in June 2019 when Sydney traveled from Chicago to Boston for a summer internship at Dell EMC. Although their interactions were brief during those three months, they definitely noticed each other. As the summer ended, Paul continued his full-time job at Dell in Boston, while Sydney returned to the University of Kentucky to complete her senior year. That fall, Sydney left a comment on one of Paul’s Instagram photos, which showed him and his best friend Jake Cotton after a Half Marathon. This small gesture sparked an ongoing conversation between them.

In July 2020, Sydney took a “girls trip” to Boston with her best friends, Kerry and Sami, with the hidden agenda of going on a first date with Paul. Their date took place at Faneuil Hall, where they enjoyed drinks and talked so much that the kitchen closed before they could order any food!

Despite the long-distance challenge, with Sydney in Austin, TX for her new Dell job and Paul in Boston, they kept in touch through visits, letters & phone calls. After two years of this routine, Paul relocated to Chicago for a new job, and Sydney soon followed. At last, they were living in the same city and the rest was history!

After three years of dating, Paul surprised Sydney by proposing on November 3, 2023, during a walk along the Downtown Chicago Riverwalk—a place they frequented nearly every day. The proposal was celebrated with a special dinner with their families and a party with all their friends! It was truly the most memorable day they had shared together. They are now loving living in Downtown Chicago and recently bought a house. June 21, 2025 cannot come soon enough!