3-year-old promises to make childhood sweetheart his wife – 20 years later he pops the question

We all remember our childhood sweethearts, the first love we dreamed of marrying while we were still very young.

For Matt Grodsky, this was more than a childhood fantasy. At the age of 3, he stood up in front of his preschool class and confidently declared that he would one day marry his childhood sweetheart, Laura Scheel.

Their love story began at their preschool in Phoenix, Arizona, where they instantly bonded and became inseparable.

“We have such fond memories of our time together,” the couple reminisced to Obsev. “Matt would recite lines and scenes from ‘The Lion King,’ and Laura taught him how to draw and swing. We went on playdates to each other’s houses and watched movies with our parents.”

Their connection was so strong that they even spent weekends together, leading their parents to think it was just puppy love. However, Matt and Laura proved them wrong.

“One of my earliest memories is standing up in front of my preschool class at 3 years old and declaring that I would marry Laura someday,” Matt told PEOPLE.

Though his classmates laughed, Matt confidently responded, “Just you wait,” according to Today.

Their paths diverged when they attended different elementary schools, only staying in touch through family Christmas cards.

Years later, they reconnected through a mutual friend in high school and started dating. However, they were separated again when Laura went to Northern Arizona University and Matt went to Columbia College Chicago, over 1,600 miles apart.

Determined to make their long-distance relationship work, they figured out a visiting schedule that worked for them after a challenging freshman year.

Matt had always been serious about his relationship with Laura. In their senior year, he decided to propose at the place where it all began—their preschool.

After getting her father’s blessing and arranging for a family member to secretly capture the moment, Matt got down on one knee and proposed.

Laura recalled, “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, is this really happening?’ When I saw the ring, I thought, ‘This is gorgeous. I’m so happy with it.'”

Matt’s brother brought out a picnic basket, the same one their dad used when he proposed to their mom, filled with bridal magazines and sparkling cider, and then left the newly engaged couple to celebrate.

On December 30, 2016, Matt and Laura tied the knot.

Grodsky’s uncle, who officiated the wedding, noted, “For most kids in preschool, it’s about finding your snacks and your sleeping mats, but for Matt and Laura, it was about finding their soulmates.”