Ally & Mike

If you made it here, you must be invited to Mike D and Ally’s wedding. Hurray!

Here’s the speedy version of our story:

Almost five years ago, Ally’s grad school classmate Andrew brought his brother Mike to a Lewis & Clark College get-together. Mike was deeply intrigued, and Ally thought to herself, “Andrew’s brother is a cool guy,” and then they didn’t see each other again for four months.

At Christmas time, Andrew, Mike and their aunt, known as “the Ant”, took Ally out for beers at Rogue in Newport. Again, Ally thought, “That Mike– what a great guy,” as they shared onion rings. Then they didn’t see each other again for four months. They kept not hanging out until Ally realized Mike was a runner too.

“Hey Mike,” she said, next time they saw each other. “We live near each other. We like to run. Let’s run together.”

Once they ran together, it was all over. Or, it all began. Mike invited Ally out “for a beer” at Higgins Restaurant, which turned into a date. More beers followed. “I’m dating Mike,” Ally realized with delight. After that, they rode the streetcar back and forth from each other’s tiny apartments, and continued to enjoy Oregon beer and running, until they decided to buy a condo and found their nest in Portland’s Pearl District. They moved in and got a cat. Domestic bliss ensued. Mike wised up and proposed. They still don’t have a dining room table.