It all began thanks to my best friend, Kat, who insisted I come to a birthday dinner one night. What I didn’t know was that she had a secret plan, a little matchmaking mission — and the birthday boy just happened to be Alex. At some point during dinner, Alex wandered over to my side of the table, sat down, and without hesitation, started eating off my plate. That bold move broke the ice instantly. We started talking, laughing, and somewhere between bites and conversation, something just clicked. The very next day, Alex sent me a message on Instagram… and we haven’t stopped talking since. A few dates later, the world went into lockdown. Suddenly, it was just the two of us, spending nearly every moment together. We like to joke that we’re a “COVID couple,” but really, it was the beginning of something deeper: a love built on laughter, patience, and genuine friendship. Five years later, on our anniversary, we were in Mexico when Alex had plans for a special night out. I wasn’t feeling well, and though he tried his best to convince me to go, I just couldn’t. What I didn’t know was that he’d been planning to propose. So instead, in the pinch of time before our flight home, he got down on one knee in the quiet of our room and asked me to spend forever with him — unexpected, heartfelt, and so perfectly us. From that first dinner table to this moment, our story has been filled with laughter, love, and the sweetest surprises. And now, we can’t wait to celebrate the next chapter surrounded by all of our favorite people.