When Mercedes met Aaron, their first date! A modern story of two millennials seeking a partner to survive the pandemic with. After hitting it off over shared love of music, their career passions, and stories of the Midwest.. they decided to take the leap and go on a park date, a popular option in the days of masks and limited leisure activities. The first date went from a planned walk in the park to a full day picnic full of laughs, Oreos, and seltzers.

The weekend they made it 'official'. To celebrate their first few months together, Aaron whisked Mercedes away to Olympic National Park & Seattle for a weekend of fun that appealed to both their interests; metro vibes for Mercy and nature exploration for Aaron. "Third time is a charm" also rang true as Mercy finally agreed to be Aaron's girlfriend the evening of July 24th, 2020.

The universe had plans for Mercy & Aaron. In what one can only call a journey of fate, life presented them with all sorts of opportunities that would bring them together and change their lives for the better in 2022. It all started with wine-fueled chats about moving back to the Midwest. Stars then aligned much faster than expected, finding out that not only would they be moving back to the Midwest, but that it would be a party of 3 in this new chapter of their lives.

The day Aaron asked Mercy to take his last name (wow)! After months of planning, by the world's worst planner, Aaron surprised Mercy with an engagement at their favorite spot, Windansea Beach in La Jolla, San Diego. This capped an amazing week of milestones they will never forget!

Aurora Christine "Rori bird" is welcomed to the world and the House of Heen established. Mercy & Aaron take the first year to learn how to keep a human alive while starting plan out their big day - finally finding the perfect time of year and venue to celebrate their big day with the ones they love.