About Us

How I (Kacie) got here...

In 2023, I moved from my hometown in East Tennessee to downtown Chicago to pursue my Master's in Journalism at Northwestern University (their journalism program, called Medill, is one of the top 3 in the nation, and is located downtown with the law and medical schools).

Over the next year I got my degree, did a lot of political reporting, partied far more than was advisable, and more. A few months after graduating, I was ready to move back home to be near my family and follow my dream of social justice reporting in Appalachia.

…Then a girl moved in above my best friends.

How Anna got here...

Anna knew at a young age she wanted to be a pediatric oncology nurse. Born and raised just outside of Chicago, she set off to school at Iowa University, one of the top nursing programs in the country (with a special emphasis on pediatrics). She worked quite literally 24/7 (night shift!) to become the amazing nurse she is today.

While getting her MS in Nursing (Clinical Leadership) via Iowa's online program, she decided to move back to Chicago...

How we fell in love...

In the year after grad school, I spent nearly all my free time in Logan Square, at my best friends’ apartment – a basement unit in a historic walkup. In the spring, my friends mentioned someone new was moving in upstairs, and that they’d run into her family (including her adorable, very German, very peppy 90 year-old grandfather). My friends and I were all expat Southerners hungry for sunshine and nature, so we spent much of our time in the backyard, where one of our friends had a flourishing vegetable and flower garden. One of the many days we were lounging out there, the second floor window slid open, and a delicate girl with a buzzcut climbed out. She yelled down, introducing herself as Anna–the new upstairs neighbor–and asked if she could join us. I remember most the radiance of her smile–how genuine and infectious it was. 

Another night soon after–at our favorite dive bar, Bob Inn–we gravitated away from the larger friend group to chat just us two. Neither of us was particularly subtle about our interest, but it was then, over the crack of billiard balls and the TouchTunes honky tonk music, that we really started getting to know each other. And frankly, I was a goner. 

After only two or three more dates, we were smitten–but I was also going home, to my family in Tennessee. Anna helped me pack and sent me off with kisses–and I swore to return within a month to go as her date to her friends’ (Ceci & Konrad’s) wedding (those names are relevant to the proposal story!). Those weeks apart solidified what I already knew somewhere down deep: this one was special. Despite Anna’s rigorous work schedule as an oncology nurse, and the chaos of my (incredibly joyful, but also huge) family, we found ourselves on FaceTime every day for hours. Every night we fell asleep virtually “beside” each other, and stayed on the phone all night just to feel nearer. 

On the fourth of July – the day that my parents met, unbeknownst to Anna – I went to meet my sister-in-law and mom for margaritas. Although already late (as always), I loitered in the parking lot to answer Anna’s texts, ignoring the complaints of my family. When I walked inside, I figured out why they’d been prodding me: Anna was there, waiting. She’d flown in to surprise me, and coordinated it all with my loved ones. 

Anna got to meet my family, and I got to show her around my home. Not long after, I returned to Chicago, where Anna had just received an eviction notice. Although unfortunate, the timing seemed divine; we’d only been together a month or two, but took up the proud mantle of U-Haul Lesbian and moved in together. Everything since–becoming part of each others’ families, moving from our apartment in Anna’s hometown of Chicago to my childhood home in East Tennessee, everything in between–is history.

I expected there to be friction–the standard difficulties of adjusting to another person’s schedule, habits, quirks, and moods. I was fully prepared for a rough adjustment period, especially so early in a relationship. To my shock, there weren’t any. Everything felt so easy. Moving had its logistical challenges, of course, and life has thrown more than its fair share of bullshit at us – from losing loved ones to cancer and overdose to struggling with our own mental health journeys and everything in between – but that easiness is what has defined our relationship, for me. Life isn’t any less painful, or scary, or hard; but being together makes it all so much lighter. We find ourselves dying laughing even at the darkest moments. I’m reminded of the way my parents–who met at 32 and 40 (after abusive first marriages) and created the beautiful, love-filled blended family I grew up in–talked about finding one another. That it just felt natural–as if it had always been. And, most of all, that everything was just so fun together. I keep waiting for that feeling to wear off. I think I’m going to be waiting forever. 

Our proposal...

It was a Monday in Chicago. A balmy, powder-blue August. Anna and I had recently moved in together. Our new apartment was down the street from a little corner bar called Lardon. Bistro-style, with black and white tiles and a patio strung with edison bulbs, its warmly lit windows always beckoned when we walked by–and we decided not to wait any longer to try it out. 

Turns out Mondays are half-price bottles of wine. We sat outside as evening fell, and shared a bottle of sparkling rosé. Just us, just talking. 

We walked home together, tipsy, petting stray cats along the way. We were so excited to return to our cozy apartment just be together. I knew then I had found the kind of evergreen, once-in-a-lifetime love my parents had shared–the kind that makes mundane Mondays special. 

Anna and I had discussed getting engaged, discussed what kind of rings we wanted, and even somewhat picked them out together. In October, I was away visiting family. Anna told me she was going to propose on a specific day in November. She told me when, but not where, and no details. 

Now, you see, I had never gotten my payback for the time she’d surprised me by coming to Tennessee. And I thought: well now’s my chance. 

So I began to weave some harmless, but very convincing, lies. A specific day I would be returning from my trip. Drama with a friend that led to my disabling location services (so Anna couldn’t see me on FindMy). All of this led to my soon being on a greyhound bus back to Chicago, with Anna believing I was still states away and days from returning.

Anna thought she had plans to meet her friend Krys – the one person I knew she’d never cancel on – at Lardon that evening. Krys, being a disconcertingly good liar (who wasn’t even in the city at the time!), had managed to talk Anna into choosing the time and place that I had been planning on. And our newlywed friends Ceci & Konrad had offered to trail me to photograph the surprise.

I ended up in a dress and paddock boots, on a Lime scooter, taking a circuitous back route to Lardon to avoid Anna’s notice. When I arrived at Lardon, Ceci & Konrad in tow, I showed the man working (who was the best!) a picture of Anna. I asked him to deliver a card and a bottle of sparkling rosé to the table where she was sitting outside. 

The card contained only a QR code to a video montage I made, of everyday moments in Anna and I’s life together. I knew Anna would think that I had called in and had the card and the wine sent to her from afar. I spied through the window as she scanned my code and watched the video. When she finished, I walked out, got down on one knee, and asked her to marry me. I am thankful every day that she said yes. 

Our rings...

We shopped together! Neither of us wanted to spend a fortune on rings; we just wanted something unique and sentimental that brought us joy. Early on in our relationship, we discovered that we’d both always dreamed of having sapphire-and-gold color themes for a wedding (one of many odd coincidences), so we leaned into that and picked out rings with blue stones. Anna wanted something minimalist and timeless, but colorful and bold. I wanted something ornate that gave off vintage, “Russian princess” vibes. We were lucky to stumble upon the perfect ones on Etsy. We worked with our individual sellers (of each other’s rings) to personalize the designs and finalize details. We love them! The rings and sellers can be found here. 

Wedding plans...

We plan to get married in January 2027, in a nuclear-family only elopement on Holden Beach in North Carolina, a place of special relevance to my family. Then, we'll have a casual Chicago celebration with Anna's extended family and our beloved friends there, and a Tennessee celebration (probably at our new house in Maryville!) for our friends and family here. The goal is to have as many parties as possible, but without too many expenses and with zero stress.

We plan to have minimal decorations (and DIY whatever we do have, as we both LOVE to craft and do so constantly!), so we can put most of our $$$ towards food (I’m currently campaigning for Waffle House), booze, and accommodations. That said, aesthetically we’re aiming for a “lesbian Phantom of the Opera” vibe, so… we’ll see how it all turns out.