04/04/2026
Tyler and Hannah, we are so honored and happy we got to be part of your story!!! Wishing you many years of happiness.
Hannah and Tyler’s story began, as many modern romances do, with a swipe.🔥
It was late November 2020 in Iowa. Hannah had the Imperial March set as her Tinder anthem — a bold choice that caught Tyler’s attention. With a mix of nerves and wine-induced courage, he sent a message: a sweet compliment paired with a confident challenge. He told her she was beautiful — and claimed he knew more about Star Wars than she ever could.
She replied to the next day: “Try me.”
What followed was a rapid-fire exchange of fandom knowledge — Star Wars, Disney, Harry Potter. In the end, Tyler won the galactic round, but Hannah stood her ground when it came to castles and magic. Just days later, when a new Mandalorian episode aired — “The Jedi” — Hannah warned Tyler: if he spoiled it, she’d block him. (He didn’t.)
Late-night movie marathons in Tyler’s parents’ half-renovated basement quickly became their universe. On their third or fourth date, Tyler said what had already become clear: “I love you.” That moment was immortalized in Hannah's Christmas gift to Tyler— a pair of dice from a galaxy far, far away and the words Han Solo made legendary: “I know.”
From there, their lives blended naturally. They were practically living together between Tyler’s family home and Hannah’s dad’s, spending every possible moment side by side. By Mother’s Day 2021, Hannah met Tyler’s family — and his brother Brian, sensing something special, simply said:
“She loves Star Wars. She loves fishing. Marry her.”
Even in those early days, neither of them had any doubt: they had found the person they’d been waiting for.
🌿 Dreams, Detours & a Leap of Faith
As their relationship deepened, so did their conversations about the future. Where would they go? What would they do? What kind of life could they build — together?
At the time, Tyler was working at Blink Marketing in Milford, Iowa. Hannah was working at Historic Arnolds Park, pouring her heart into a place deeply tied to her family and her past. But she sensed her chapter there was nearing its end. She had always dreamed of working for Disney, and began applying again for roles in Florida.
The timing wasn’t kind. COVID had changed the job landscape, and what once felt attainable now seemed distant. Application after application went unanswered. Rejection letters piled up. Doubt crept in — not just about the job, but about herself.
Hannah began to lose hope. But Tyler never did.
He encouraged her to think differently — to look beyond Disney and consider opportunities that matched her skills. He suggested fundraising jobs in Tampa. And when she took his advice, the very first job to appear was for Development Coordinator at ZooTampa.
She applied. Interviewed. Was hired.
Together, they packed up their lives and moved to Florida.
But just a few days into their new beginning, Tyler drove back to Iowa. He stayed behind to continue working and help share the financial weight of the life they were building from scratch.
🐘Two for One
Soon enough — just in time for Valentine’s Day — Tyler found his own way to ZooTampa, working alongside National Geographic during the filming of Secrets of the Zoo: Tampa. Before long, he officially joined the Marketing Team as the Zoo’s Marketing and Membership Manager, and two years later Hannah transitioned to the HR Department as an Employee Experience Specialist.
Getting to grow not only their future together, but also their professional lives at the same organization, has been something truly special — and they look forward to continuing to grow their careers together at ZooTampa for years to come.
ZooTampa hadn’t just hired Hannah — they got a package deal.
💛 The Life They Built
From a galaxy far, far away… to a basement in Iowa… to a new life in Florida, Hannah and Tyler have never stopped choosing each other. Through every challenge, every leap of faith, and every joyful moment, they’ve built a love rooted in laughter, loyalty, and late-night movies and video games.
They've grown careers, planted roots, and carved out a life that feels fully theirs. And now, after nearly six years of side-by-side adventure, they're ready to say “I do” surrounded by the people who’ve been cheering them on from the start.
On April 4, 2026, at Shepard’s Beach Resort in Clearwater Beach, Florida, they’ll begin the next chapter — not as a new story, but as a continuation of one that’s already written in the stars.
Because for Hannah and Tyler, love isn’t just fate —
“We are the same dust — created at the beginning of time. In every universe, in every life, we are one.”
