Courtney and Kevin met while working at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia. At the time, Kevin was finishing his studies in Architecture at Temple University while working evenings at the museum. Courtney, who had completed a degree in Art & Design and Art History at Missouri State University, was beginning her career in museums while continuing her work as a portrait artist. Their schedules overlapped for only a few minutes each afternoon during the shift change, but before long those few minutes became something both of them quietly looked forward to.

What began as a quick hello gradually became a conversation, then another the following day, and another after that. They quickly discovered that, although their interests weren’t identical, they fit together remarkably well. Courtney’s lifelong love of art had naturally led her into museums, while Kevin’s fascination with architecture, history, and the built environment had shaped his own path. Together, their interests gave them endless reasons to keep exploring. Kevin was drawn to Courtney from the beginning. She was undeniably beautiful, but what stayed with him was the quiet confidence with which she carried herself, the care she brought to every conversation, and the creativity and curiosity that seemed to shape everything she did. Before long, he realized he wasn’t looking forward to arriving at work because of the work itself. He was looking forward to seeing Courtney.

One afternoon, their schedules aligned in a way they almost never did. As Kevin headed out to grab lunch, Courtney asked if she could come with him. There was nothing planned about it, simply two coworkers stepping away from work for a meal. Yet by the time they were sitting across from one another, Kevin was so nervous that he could barely eat.

A few weeks later, Kevin packed a picnic to celebrate Courtney’s birthday. It was there, sitting together in a park, that he asked her to be his girlfriend. It felt less like the beginning of their relationship than the moment they finally gave a name to something that had been growing between them for months.

Over the next four years, they built a relationship around the things they loved discovering together. Museums became the backdrop, but curiosity was always at the center of it. As Courtney continued building her career in museums while pursuing a master’s degree at Drexel University in Arts Administration & Museum Leadership, and Kevin began a career in Civil Engineering, the curiosity that had first brought them together never changed.

Every museum, historic site, and weekend trip became another opportunity to explore the things they both loved. Even while living in different states for a time, Courtney prepared meals for Kevin to take home each week, a simple act that spoke volumes. Before long, circumstances brought them under the same roof sooner than either of them had expected, but sharing everyday life only deepened Kevin’s admiration for Courtney. He found that the same qualities that had first drawn him to her at the Barnes Foundation were just as present in everyday life: her patience, kindness, and strength with which she approached life.

Pittsburgh had always been part of Kevin’s story. Born there and raised just outside the city until he was twelve, it always felt like home. When he and Courtney first visited together three summers ago, it quickly became one of their favorite places to explore. Between its museums, neighborhoods, history, and architecture, they found themselves returning each summer, slowly collecting memories that belonged to both of them.

By the time they returned for their third summer together, Kevin already knew where he wanted to propose. The Carnegie Museum of Art felt like the natural place, not only because it reflected his lifelong love of architecture and history, but because it also celebrated the art and museums that had always been such an important part of Courtney’s life. It was a place that felt unmistakably like them.

On July 16th, 2026, surrounded by the things that had quietly shaped so much of their relationship, Kevin asked Courtney to marry him, and she said yes.