Will and Emily first met during their senior year of high school, a mere 2,000 miles apart in their respective home states.
Now, four years down the road, the couple is set to tie the knot a few weeks after their college graduation.
Upon catching wind of Emily and Will’s story, it was evident to me it must be shared— not just because they’re day one ZeeMee supporters. In a time that so often seems shadowed by bleak headlines, we all need reminders of genuine connection.
Valentine’s Day might not be everyone’s favorite, but it’s hard to deny a good ol’ love story when you hear one.
Preparing for college amidst a global pandemic, the two did what a lot of us did—they took to the internet for connection. And in this case, ZeeMee proved to be a good fit, as the two were already committed to Grove City College.
After coming across each other on the committed students section, Emily decided to send Will a message. Reflecting on this daring move, they shared a laugh.
“Well, I followed her on Instagram, so it evened out,” says Will.
At the time of their meeting, neither one of them was actively seeking a relationship. But, the heart wants what it wants.
Upon talking to the couple, I got a sense that it was pretty much love at first sight. Or in this case, love at first text.
They messaged about mutual interests, like their music tastes and history in athletics, and it all came pretty naturally.
Eventually, their conversations moved outside of the app, and phone calls followed. “I don’t think there was a single day we didn’t talk for the foreseeable future,” says Will.
By May, it was clear to them both that a relationship would likely blossom when the time came that they were on the same campus.
As anyone with internet dating experience knows, taking the step from online to in- person can be intimidating, to say the least.
“I know a lot of people have mixed feelings about meeting online, but one of the cool things it provided us was that there were none of the nerve-racking questions like, does she want a hug? Or maybe a handhold?” says Will.
Aiming to ensure minimal awkwardness, they settled on a bench on campus for their first face-to-face hangout.
“Campus has a lot of long streets and what I didn’t want to happen was for us to have to walk to each other from opposite directions for hundreds of yards,” says Emily.
To state the obvious, things went smoothly.
Fast forward to November 2022, when Will’s family decided to travel to Pennsylvania for Thanksgiving—an idea that perfectly aligned with his plans. While at a family dinner, the group decided to take a stroll to a scenic overlook for some photos.
“At this point, I started to maybe realize what was happening because I had my hand on his chest for the pictures, and I could feel his heart racing,” says Emily.
Knowing she’s a lover of animals, Will pointed out a groundhog (who wasn’t actually there) as a quick distraction. Then, he got down on one knee. The rest is history.
The computer science major and biblical studies major duo are exchanging vows roughly 30 yards from the bench where their meet-cute took place.