Clear Cut Couples: Keara and Mac

Keara is from Calgary, Alberta and has always lived there, Mac is from Jackson Hole and was home for the summer after his hockey season overseas. He was visiting Calgary for some summer training with his goalie coach at the time. On Canada Day, Keara went out for drinks with her roommate and they didn’t really have a plan, she remembers them kinda standing on Stephen Ave trying to decide where to go and they decided on Earls since they were standing in front of it! Since it was Canada Day, all of the bars were very busy and there were only a few seats left at the bar. So they grabbed a seat, and ordered a pitcher of margaritas. Shortly after, they realized there was a handsome guy sitting beside them now, they all started to chat and offered him a margarita.

He had just got to town and was looking for somewhere to have dinner and managed to get the last seat at Earls. They all were chatting and having fun, and continued to hop around to a few more spots for Canada Day, Mac and Keara pretty immediately were snuggly and only had eyes for each other. They exchanged numbers and separated ways, he asked her on a date, and a few days later they met for dinner and clicked right away. Unfortunately he was only in town for a week, so they spent his last few days doing as much as they could together, it was Stampede time in Calgary so they went to a few events and had fun! Because they lived in different places, they had to pretty quickly decide if they wanted to continue talking. They had to get a bit more serious pretty quick, which immediately seemed like the obvious choice to both of them. Mac invited Keara to join him in a few weeks at a hockey training camp in Florida, knowing he would be heading over season immediately after that. She decided to join him in Florida. Florida amplified the feelings they already had, and they both knew that this was different!

Since then, they have been together for over two years. After being together in Florida, they had to do long distance. Mac was playing in the EBEL at the time over in Hungary, for the next year their days were filled with Facetime and trying to grow a new relationship while not being able to see each other for long periods. Keara went to visit him twice in Hungary, and then the next summer when he was back in Jackson Hole they alternated being there and in Calgary together as much as possible. Luckily his summer schedule was flexible and he was able to spend a lot of time in Calgary while she was working. Calgary being such a hockey city, he was also able to do what he needed to for his training in the summer. They had decided that if possible, depending where he would be playing next year, and if Keara could get a visa, she would move there to join him. He ended up signing in Germany and that is where they both live right now, and absolutely love it!

A huge highlight of their relationship has been all of the places they have been able to experience together. As tough as it can be being from different countries, and Mac moving often with work, they have always had to travel to see each other, and that means getting to spend time in each other's hometowns. As well as being able to experience new countries thanks to Mac’s work. Living in Germany together was the first time they lived together, and they got to make it a home together which was amazing. They are both so happy that they have each other, even though they are far from their families and many of their friends. And they are so happy that they have the experience of being able to make new friends overseas and having their “hockey family”.

They had had typical discussions about marriage and their future plan over the years, Mac knew the style of ring she generally liked. He had his plan brewing and had been discussing with his mom one day when she Jeanne) so kindly gifted them her original engagement ring his dad had given her, to make their own. At this point Mac included Keara in the discussion, she was so emotional and grateful Jeanne wanted them to have her original ring, and was so excited their ring would be even more meaningful! After talking with The Clear Cut about all of the possible options, they ended up deciding to make a Trilogy ring using the original diamond from Jeanne's ring. Keara loves the meaning behind trilogy rings, as well as the look, and being able to use the stone while making it unique to them!

Due to coronavirus, Keara’s trip to LA (to get the ring) kept getting postponed. When it happened at the end of the summer, she vowed not to peak at it and keep it a surprise until the proposal! She was heading to her sister’s house to meet her new nephew and was going to Facetime Mac.

Keara said, “I got to meet my nephew and get my first snuggles, and quickly got Mac on Facetime. My sister suggested we go to the rooftop for a drink, I was bringing Mac up there with us on Facetime, and giving him a little tour of their new place completely oblivious and unrushed. Right before we went outside, my sister said she forgot something and went back with the baby to get it. I started to walk out onto the patio and saw a beautiful set up with the most amazing flowers I had ever seen, Champagne and a card. Being completely unaware I thought maybe my sister had got the champagne to celebrate since she knew we had made a ring and were getting engaged. I was like ‘oh wow look at this’ I remember looking down and seeing a ring box, for a brief second I remember thinking why would she put it out here, she knows I’m trying not to look at it until Mac and I are together. And then it clicked! I started bawling pretty immediately, and began to read the sweetest card, and at the end it said ‘will you marry me!’ To which I of course said yes. I was so in shock that I had absolutely no idea this was going to happen (which I never thought could ever happen, knowing me). We all laugh now when we look back at how oblivious I was even after walking out on the balcony when it was clearly a proposal set up, but I was so certain I knew the plan. I put on the ring, we celebrated, popped the champagne, Facetimed our families.”

Keara was so shocked that he had managed to surprise her even though they had had so many discussions about it, built the ring together, and went through the delays due to coronavirus! She said, “The Clear Cut team couldn’t have made a more perfect ring for us. They matched the new diamonds to Mac’s moms so perfectly, and it all works together so well. Trilogy rings represent the past present and future, and it felt so fitting with one of the diamonds being from his mom and dad and representing the beginning of their love years ago! ‘You are my past, my present and my future.’”

They plan to get married in Jackson Hole surrounded by the beauty of the Tetons with close family and friends! Congrats you two!