OUR LOVE
storyDawson and Katrina first crossed paths in the summer of 2020. It was Dawson's first year of business school, and Katrina's last; she happened to be leading his orientation. Like everything else that year, it all happened behind a screen — awkward icebreakers, breakout rooms, and the strange world of video calls.
A few weeks later, in September, they reconnected during the online business retreat. The program had ended, but neither of them logged off right away. They lingered on the call with friends, laughing and talking, and that spark of connection quietly began to grow.
Soon after, Dawson applied to 5 Days, a student charity club that Katrina was helping run as VP Events for the Business Students' Association. She noticed his passion, energy, and drive to make a difference — and knew he would be a massive part of helping the team raise money for YESS (Youth Empowerment and Support Services in Edmonton).
HOW WE
startedWhat started as meetings and planning sessions soon turned into long conversations after — about life, about family, and about grilled cheese.
On Easter Sunday 2021, Dawson message Katrina on Instagram after seeing the food she had shared. He said “It looks delicious!” She replied, "I made everything — including the mini eggs." Dawson laughed: "How do you know my family's secret recipe?" That playful exchange led to more chats, and a few weeks later, he asked her on their first date: a socially distanced walk he had carefully planned. They started at Victoria Hill Park, crossed the High Level Bridge, grabbed hot chocolate, and ended up watching the sunset from the top of Windsor Car Park.
OUR
adventuresOver the years, their relationship grew deeper — not just with each other, but in the community they built around them. They began going to church together, supporting friends, and exploring the world side by side: from Canada’s west coast to the east, through New York City, and across the UK and France.
YES!SHE SAID
Four years after that first Zoom call, Dawson proposed at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden. Surrounded by flowers and water — two of Katrina’s favorite things, and a reminder of God’s creation — she said yes to the next chapter of their story.
