When everything was up for debate except their chemistry

Andrew Shepard Markoff was in awe of Stephanie Nicole Spies even before they met. Both competed in debates and Ms Spies was considered a legend for her talent, Mr Markoff said. Mr. Markoff, also an accomplished debater, had watched her compete in high school and then in college. He was dazzled.

Ms Spies had also heard of Mr Markoff. While she was debating Northwestern in Evanston, Ill., he was debating Georgetown in Washington. Each of them traveled for competitions and witnessed the prowess of the others from afar.

“He was way ahead of his peers,” said Ms Spies, adding that Mr Markoff’s specialty was knowing more about every topic than anyone else. Mr Markoff said Ms Spies had a commanding presence: she was poised and “very intense” on stage.

His admiration led him to ask a mutual friend who attended Northwestern for help in setting up an appointment. After Mr. Markoff competed in an event at Northwestern in the fall of 2010, he and Ms. Spies met at the now-closed Argo Tea in Evanston. They found each other calm and affable. “I was amazed at how much respect and kindness Steph showed me,” Mr. Markoff said.

The couple began a long-distance relationship marked by frequent visits. When Ms. Spies, now 33, graduated from college in 2011, she applied for a job in Washington to be close to Mr. Markoff, now 31, when she finished college. She moved there in the summer of that year.

Ms. Spies has a BA in political science from Northwestern and a law degree from NYU. She is an attorney with Susman Godfrey, a Houston-based law firm, working in the Manhattan office. Mr. Markoff has a bachelor’s degree in international history from Georgetown. He is the director of campaigns for Applecart, a Manhattan-based strategy and marketing firm.

Throughout their relationship, the couple said their shared background in the debate comes out in a positive light. Ms. Spies described Mr. Markoff as rational and calm under pressure. She said that Ms Spies is an effective communicator and “a born leader”.

After more long-distance stints and several other moves, the couple touched down in Brooklyn in January 2022. By this time, the idea of ​​marriage was already a foregone conclusion. “We knew we wanted to be together for the long term,” said Ms Spies.

Mr. Markoff designed a diamond engagement ring based on the likes of Ms. Spies and proposed to her on June 24, 2022 at Marsha P. Johnson State Park, near her home in Williamsburg. He threw a surprise party at a Brooklyn bar called Pete’s Candy Store with about 40 of her family members and friends in attendance.

The party brought together many debate friends from high school and college for a meeting of the minds. “They are some of the most intelligent and fiercely competitive people I have ever met,” said Ms Spies. “People have strong opinions and are very good at expressing them.”

Wedding planning brought the couple to Chicago. Ms. Spies grew up in Northbrook, a suburb of the city. Although Mr. Markoff was born and raised in Manhattan and jokingly called himself a “big New York elitist,” he came up with the idea of ​​a Windy City wedding.

The event was held at Chicago’s Adler Planetarium on May 20 before 150 guests. The ceremony was held outside on the Lake Michigan boardwalk and officiated by Daniel Fitzmier, Ms. Spies’ college debate coach, with Jonathan Paul, who coached Mr. Markoff at the college, co-chairing the ceremony. . Both men were ordained as Universal Life ministers for the occasion.

While Mrs. Spies’s father, William Spies, was present at the Brooklyn engagement party, he was ill at the time and died several months before the wedding. The couple reserved a seat for him at the ceremony. During their vows, they mentioned a new addition to their lives: Willa, a pup named after her father.

Mr Markoff had previously been “very afraid of dogs” but overcame his fear for Willa, who was born the day Ms Spies’ father died. “There’s something very cosmically profound about it,” he said.

The reception took place inside the planetarium. Through the building’s great wall of windows, they could watch the sunny day fade into a sunset illuminated by the city’s skyline.