It is only right that our story begins with the one and only Robert Watkins. Rob and Matt quickly became best friends upon Matt's arrival to McKendree University for grad school, where Gracie was getting through her undergrad degree playing volleyball. Rob had also been involved in the volleyball program, so he and G had been established as friends long before he asked her permission to share her Snapchat (lol) username with Matt.

Not long after that, Gracie was sent back home to Colorado when the pandemic hit, but Matt knew that he wanted what was started to continue. That 2020 summer, he drove 12 hours from St. Louis just to take her on a couple dates, and when they reconnected that fall in Lebanon, there was nothing that would get in the way of their blooming love.

After about a year of doing long distance, Matt finally made his way to Colorado and the two lovebirds began finally living together in the fall of 2022. Since then, they adopted a dog together, bought their mountain home, and got engaged in front of all of their close family and friends.

Matt and G are both ecstatic to elope and share their love with their favorite people!