We met at work in 2017, and we didn’t exactly hit it off.

I didn’t particularly care for Tyler, and he didn’t particularly care for me. We came from different cultures, different religions, and different upbringings—and in the beginning, we were much quicker to notice our differences than anything we had in common.

Working through complex projects together slowly changed that. We discovered that we were both humble, hungry, and smart. We respected hard work, cared about following through, and learned that even when we disagreed, we could count on each other.

That’s how our professional story began. Our personal story took shape when the challenges in our individual lives met the comfort of being understood by someone familiar.

We had both been through divorce and were carrying responsibilities that weren’t always easy to explain to someone else. Tyler was navigating life after divorce while trying to keep a business afloat in a difficult industry. I was raising two daughters with full custody, responsible for their care, health, education, and the everyday work of keeping our lives moving forward.

Over time, the person we had leaned on through professional hurdles became someone we could trust with our personal struggles, too. We had seen each other under pressure. We knew each other’s determination, stubbornness, and sense of responsibility. As we shared more of our lives, that familiarity grew into a deeper understanding.

We could talk honestly about what we had been through and what we were still trying to figure out. Neither of us had everything together, and neither expected the other to.

We were two imperfect people who became comfortable enough to share our fears, flaws, and dreams without feeling judged. We could be ourselves, including the parts we usually kept guarded. Somewhere in those conversations, we began to mean more to each other than a trusted coworker or a good friend.

My daughters, of course, had their own opinions about this.

After years of listening to our professional disagreements, they decided we were meant for each other—and made sure we knew it. Apparently, they could see something we were still taking our time admitting.

Eventually, Tyler and I had a long, honest conversation and decided to give a romantic relationship a try.

A year later, he proposed at our shared home.

We had dinner with the kids, just as we would on any other evening together. Later, over a glass of wine in our bedroom, he asked:

“Will you be my forever girl?”

It was a private moment in the home and life we were already sharing, and it became the beginning of our next chapter.

These days, you might find us at the motocross track—Tyler riding and me watching—or watching the races together, rooting for Eli Tomac and Haiden Deegan. During football season, it’s the Detroit Lions and Michigan Wolverines. Add in concerts, hiking, and a good hole-in-the-wall restaurant, and that’s our kind of weekend. At home, we love cooking with music on, spending time with friends, and getting into conversations that somehow turn into hours. We still have different opinions about almost everything—but considering where we started, agreeing that we want to spend our lives together feels like a pretty big win.

For our wedding, we wanted a celebration that felt like us: a little nontraditional, full of connection, and with the people we love all in one place. That’s what brought us to Las Vegas, and we can’t wait to share it with you.

With love,

Samka Keranovic & Tyler LaBarge