On the day of their first date in 2013, Amanda doodled on the back of a Five Guys receipt. Nick kept that receipt all these years, and when planning the proposal, commissioned two local artists Joseph Catanzaro and Kathleen Patrick to incorporate the doodle into a Starry Night-inspired painting of the Chicago skyline. Nick needed every detail absolutely perfect and agonized over whether Amanda would be wearing trousers or a dress realistically (the dress won!)

A few weeks before the big day, Nick dropped a subtle hint by giving Amanda a LEGO set of Van Gogh's Starry Night (iykyk Amanda loves LEGOs).

On May 11^th, 2024, after brunch at Gemini and a walk through Lincoln Park, Nick and Amanda arrived at the South Pond bridge where Nick's sister Lauren had perfectly positioned the painting with a view - so perfectly that tourists were taking pictures of it during the proposal! Nick got down on one knee and proposed to a tearful Amanda. Amanda didn't even realize the painting was for her until later! It is now hung up in their condo alongside the receipt and the LEGOs. It is their current favorite day of all time...that is, until December 13^th, 2025!