It all started during our first week at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where fate placed us both in the same dorm and on the same floor, Sellery 9A. We quickly became close friends—Tom would pop into Carolyn's dorm room for "fashion advice" on how his pants fit, and Carolyn convinced Tom to join her in Art 100. Freshman year was filled with game days, college library study sessions, and late-night talks in the den.

Though Carolyn swore we were "just friends," others knew better. Tom told his friends early on that he had met his future wife. On Valentine’s Day, while working on an art project, Tom stepped out to grab some sharpies from CVS but returned with a dozen red roses. Carolyn will say this is when she began to develop a crush, but Tom claims this is when he "sealed the deal." After some late-night Tornado Room meals, the famous "Team Tom" approval, and a first date at Red Sushi, Tom officially asked Carolyn to be his girlfriend in May 2016.

As we navigated long distance, unexpected health challenges and strict bouncers in Madison we grew closer. We’re forever grateful to our Wisconsin friends who supported us through those years. Extra special shout out to the beginning of Care and the boys.

At the end of senior year, Carolyn made an impulsive decision to get a dog. Kola has been a constant part of our journey ever since, keeping us on our toes and making sure her voice is always heard!

After graduation, Tom moved to New York City with Garret (ask them about that bachelor pad) while Carolyn returned to Maryland. Despite two years of long distance and the chaos of COVID, we continued to share our love for ice cream, live entertainment, family parties and card games.

In June 2021, we finally closed the distance and moved into a cozy one-bedroom apartment in the South End of Boston. Our time there was filled with baseball games (Tom is a die-hard Yankees fan, while the McGills are Red Sox loyalists—so, a house divided), lobster rolls, new restaurants, skiing, and hikes with Kola. Boston became our home for three wonderful years.

In June 2023, Tom proposed on the Georgetown waterfront, a place where we have shared many special dates over the years. Carolyn was convinced the proposal would happen during our upcoming trip to Italy, but Tom had other plans. By including long-distance family and friends in the celebration, he made it even more special.

A year later, in June 2024, we said goodbye to Boston and moved into a townhouse in Hoboken. We also changed jobs and traveled on an unforgettable safari and learned how to scuba dive. It’s been a whirlwind of change, but we couldn’t be more excited to finally celebrate our love, surrounded by family and friends—many of whom have been there from the very beginning!