Just like many modern love stories, ours started with a heart on Hinge. Connor was ready to make plans, but I was a bit of a flake at first. After four attempts, I finally said yes to meeting him at Los Compadres, a little Mexican restaurant in Reno, NV. Little did we know that night would be the beginning of the rest of our lives. Looking back, it’s funny how we both felt something special from the very start. You know that saying, “when you know, you know”? We both knew. There was an instant connection, a warm familiarity that made everything feel just right. Coming from big, loving families, we quickly bonded over our stories of summers at Tahoe and our shared love for travel, delicious food, and making memories with friends and family. It felt like we’d been in each other’s lives forever. Since that night, our love has only blossomed. We’ve shared adventures, traveled to new places, celebrated holidays, family gatherings, and navigated life’s ups and downs together. Through it all, one thing has remained constant: we are each other’s favorite person, whether we’re out exploring or enjoying quiet moments at home. We’re best friends and partners, and our shared dreams for the future only bring us closer. Then came April 6, 2026— the best day. Connor had been planning the sweetest surprise proposal for months, with help from our wonderful friends and family. I thought we were just taking pictures at the pier before the baptism of his niece and godson. We walked out onto the pier and were waiting for everyone, when he suddenly got a call saying “walk up to the beach, we are going to do a couple pictures up here first”. As we turned around and started walking, Connor was moving at turtle speed. I thought to myself “what is he doing?” as soon as that thought came and went. I felt him stop, I turned, and he was down on one knee, asking me to spend forever with him. I was in shock, I don’t even remember what I said but I know it was the easiest YES of my life! And as if that wasn’t enough of a surprise, he had all of our friends and family waiting at the Wine Collective in Tahoe City later on to celebrate with us. We feel incredibly blessed to have found each other and are so excited for our love story to continue to unfold. If you are here, then you are very special to us and we can’t wait to celebrate with you on January 16th, 2027!