In June 2015, Alex was living in San Francisco and went on a first-time vacation to Fire Island, New York. For those who have never been, the Pines on Fire Island is the gay Hamptons: it's an island about two hours east of Manhattan with no cars and only boardwalks, and it can only be accessed by ferry. On a fateful Friday night, while wandering aimlessly on the dance floor, Alex and Steve bumped into each other and met. It was an instant connection and they agreed to stayed in touch after Steve returned home to New York City and Alex flew back to California. Steve came to visit Alex a few times that summer. Alex eventually relocated to New York later that year, right after Steve moved to Philadelphia to clerk for a federal judge. Now that they both lived on the East Coast, Alex and Steve's relationship became serious and their love for each other grew deeper. In October 2016, Steve relocated to San Francisco to resume work at a different office of his prior law firm. With the coasts now reversed, Alex and Steve's long distance relationship continued with a record number of cross country flights. In May 2017, Alex relocated back to San Francisco to live with Steve and continue their story. In August 2019, Steve staged a surprise proposal for Alex in the club room of their then-apartment. COVID-19 certainly made things a little more complicated, but now Alex and Steve are so excited to finally have their friends and family gathered together for their special day!