Michaela Boiani and Chris Newert

Michaela and Chris first met at a Halloween party. Before heading inside, Chris spotted Michaela outside, dressed head-to-toe in red with a glowing presence that immediately caught his attention. He turned to his friends and asked, "What's up with Red?" When none of them knew who she was, Chris took it as the perfect opportunity to introduce himself later that evening. There was just one problem, Chris was dressed as a "Surfer Florida Man." Picture a long, scraggly wig, an unkempt mustache, a loud tropical outfit, and aviator sunglasses. Not exactly the ideal look for making a memorable first impression. Later inside the party, Chris noticed Michaela standing at a game table with one open seat beside her. Before claiming it, he ditched the wig, mustache, and sunglasses, revealing his actual face, and took the opportunity to introduce himself. What started as a simple conversation quickly came naturally, and for the rest of the evening, the two were rarely more than a few steps apart. That connection only grew stronger. On their second date, Michaela meant to send a text to their mutual friend, Brandy, saying, "Having fun. I like him." Instead, she accidentally sent it to Chris while they were sitting together. Chris quietly smiled, kept the moment to himself, and didn't bring it up until the next day, but from that moment on, he knew he had received one of the best compliments he could have hoped for. Before long, they continued spending more and more time together, building a life side by side in St. Petersburg with their two cats and making countless memories while traveling to new places whenever they could. Now, four years later, they're planning a destination wedding. A fitting way to celebrate a relationship that has always been fueled by adventure. In fact, just two months into dating, they went on their first trip together to St. Croix, setting the tone for a lifetime of exploring the world hand in hand.