Nicole and Alex often joke, they took the long road to find each other, but despite the arduous journey, it was worth the wait. During their first 6 months dating, when introducing Alex to her friends or family, every time she would say “We are very compatible.” It made Alex smile then and looking back, it still does. He couldn’t agree more. Alex likes to reflect that in tv and movies, the standard definition, when someone is asked how they know they love someone, the standard reply is “you just know.” He never understood that line, until he met Nicole. Both Nicole and Alex have fond memories growing up watching Star Trek: Next Generation. Nicole grew up watching it with her dad. Alex became a fanboy in college. On Alex’s first dinner at Nicole’s house they relaxed on the couch to an evening of Next Generation on tv. After that date, both of them suspected that this might be something big. They are both big fans of gardening. Nicole loves her fruits and vegetable gardens. Alex has a million plus one succulents. When they co-habitated in fall of 2022, their combined houseplant collections made their home an indoor jungle. Fitting since they got engaged in one. They do disagree on 90’s boy bands. Nicole is a fan of NSYNC and Alex a steadfast fan of Backstreet Boys. However, both agree this was a golden moment in pop-culture and music. Most importantly, Nicole and Alex bring each other balance. Nicole brings Alex confidence, encourages him to speak more clearly, be less “casual” about everything, and be up front with his emotions. Alex makes Nicole feel like everything is going to be ok. When Nicole begins to overthink and become overwhelmed, Alex helps her to be more playful and in the moment. As they count down the days and reflect on their journey to find each other, there is no disagreeing, they are very compatible.

Dreaming of a romantic getaway and wanting to celebrate her 40th birthday in style, Nicole and Alex planned a trip to Costa Rica. Alex, a romantic, wanted to make the trip truly memorable. A few months before the big trip, Alex planned a dinner at home where he planned to broach the topic of marriage to see how Nicole felt. He said, “Maybe Costa Rica is a good spot for something else to happen.” Nicole said she was interested which led Alex to completely drop the topic, never to speak of it again. A week before they left, when Nicole said “Look, I have to know. Is it happening? You haven’t said anything in months.” Alex said “maybe” with a shrug and a smile, knowing the ring was safely hidden in his dresser. Fast forward to Costa Rica… Nicole and Alex safely made it to their tropical destination and were enjoying their vacation, but below the surface Alex was nervous. He knew he was going to ask Nicole to marry him, but didn’t know where or how. He had to find the perfect spot, but until then he carried the ring everywhere, safely stowed in his cargo shorts. Traveling away from their resort one day, Nicole and Alex were led deep into the rainforest by a tour guide who spoke zero English and carried a machete. After traversing a long and windy trail Nicole and Alex found themselves standing in a rushing river at the base of a giant waterfall. And before they knew it, their tour guide grabbed Nicole’s phone and directed the couple into a photo shoot as if he were a professional social media photographer. Alex thought, this place looks perfect! In the middle of the river, Alex got on one knee. Pura Vida!