Hayden Elizabeth Field and Cody Michael Clegg’s connection began long before they formally met, rooted in shared interests and surprising coincidences. Their story started at a small private school in Atlanta in August 2008, when Clegg joined their graduating class and Field, who had been attending the school since age three, noticed him only weeks into the new academic year.

Despite their close proximity, the two did not immediately interact. Clegg, a guitar player who could beat-box and had taught himself Japanese, caught Field’s attention, but they did not speak until weeks after his arrival. Their first conversation was initiated by mutual friends who noted their common liking for chips and salsa as well as the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies. While Field did not rush to engage—aware others had expressed interest in Clegg—the two quickly found a natural ease in each other’s company.

Further coincidences emerged, highlighting an unexpected connection: their birthdays were one day apart in September, and both had been born at Northside Hospital in Atlanta. Their mothers had even crossed paths during their births, with Field recalling how Clegg’s mother remembered her own mother showing her the best snack spots in the maternity ward.

Their relationship developed gradually. During their senior year, Field invited Clegg to the homecoming dance, initially intending just a friendly date. The evening evolved into a romantic experience, marked by intimate conversation amid a large group and a night spent dancing, despite Clegg’s self-professed shyness and lack of dancing experience. Soon after, Clegg began giving guitar lessons to Field, a pretext they both acknowledged as a reason to spend more time together.

By March 2011, the pair officially became a couple. After high school, Field enrolled at the University of Georgia while Clegg attended the Georgia Institute of Technology. Though separated by about 90 minutes, they maintained regular contact, seeing each other roughly monthly and staying connected daily by phone.

Following graduation, the couple faced greater physical distance as Field moved to New York to pursue a career in journalism and Clegg relocated to Augusta, Georgia, for an engineering position. Despite the challenges of a long-distance relationship, they continued to visit monthly and communicate daily. Both emphasized their confidence in one another and their belief that the distance reinforced their bond.

In September 2019, Field and Clegg moved in together in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where they continue to live. Their relationship endured significant trials, including the sudden death of Field’s father, Charles Danforth Field III, in February 2025. Clegg provided steadfast support during this difficult time and had been able to seek Field’s father’s blessing for their marriage beforehand.

Clegg proposed to Field on June 14, 2025, choosing a rooftop venue at Rockefeller Center—the 610 Loft & Garden—which the couple had admired on the television series “White Collar.” Field had believed she was attending an event as a friend’s guest before discovering the surprise proposal. She accepted.

Field, now 34, is a senior A.I. reporter, holding degrees in magazine journalism and theater, while Clegg, also 34, works as a senior software engineer and holds a mechanical engineering degree. They married on October 17, 2025, in Atlanta’s Piedmont Garden Tent, with 147 guests in attendance. The ceremony was officiated by Clegg’s uncle, Thomas Hughes, who was ordained specifically for the occasion.

For Clegg, the wedding was the culmination of a 15-year journey. He described the moment when Field walked down the aisle as the highlight of the celebration, affirming that the long wait to begin this next chapter together was well worth it.