We're Getting Married!

Alex & Rob met at the most notorious holiday party in the San Francisco area: the Guardsman Tree Lot party hosted at Fort Mason Alex's mindset was simple: one of her best friends, Nicole, had come into town from Vancouver to celebrate Alex's birthday. Alex wanted to show the best SF had to offer and cap it off with a great time reminiscent of their years abroad in New Zealand. Rob, always more complex, had been saving his money for years to buy a home, which meant holding off on these expensive nights out that seem to be commonplace amongst the lavish millennial generation. However, he was inspired by a new YOLO attitude brought on by a summer vacation to Croatia with his cousin. Rob thought this was his time for the boys to light up the town at the year's best party. Alex, at the event, using her natural charisma and possibly a few dad jokes, made her way into the VIP area where she and Nicole were greeted by birthday champagne from all-too-generous party hosts. Rob, at the event w/ his two friends, asked a question that many young gentlemen (term used loosely) ask in a similar situation, "How can I make this event as epic as possible?" Low and behold, the year's best party lacked a one feature - adequate security to the coveted VIP area. Rob noticed almost immediately. Alex and Nicole were enjoying the special treatment and enjoyed the time reminiscing of the past. They were soon approached by a young man with a chiseled jaw line, flowing full hair, and jokes that made them laugh hysterically! Alex was soon taken aback by that young man's flattery and they began a conversation that ended with her providing her phone number so they could get Thai food that next week. Rob noticed a beautiful lady with a glowing smile that lit up the entire VIP area. He HAD to get to know her. Despite a spilled drink and another drink thrown between the two by a newly-split random couple, Rob got Alex to agree to meet for their soon to be favorite food together, Thai food.

The world was in the throes of a once in a century pandemic. Under tight health restrictions, Alex and Rob rarely ventured from their home and were consumed by Zoom, Netflix and figuring out how to cook. Little did Alex know, Rob wasn't going to let such a unique and epic distraction delay him from something both of them had known in their hearts seemingly from the day they met. Summer had come around. Alex had just launched a project at work that she had been working on for months. Rob was closing out his most hectic and successful quarter of his career. Both had agreed that they needed to escape their slow-paced, suburban home for an exciting day in the city where they met, San Francisco. On the drive up, Alex turned on her reggaeton and rapped in Spanish. Rob danced in the driver's seat. This is just normal behavior for these two on road trips... Entering the city on this gusty yet sunny San Francisco day, Rob asked that they stop near Fort Mason to allow the two a socially-distanced walk along the sprawling lawns of Marina Green and Chrissy Field. Growing stronger from a recent injury, Alex thought this was a great idea to go for a walk. Rob's played it cool knowing his plan was off to a good start. Once parked in the nearby Safeway parking lot, Rob made an odd request: "why don't we head over to Fort Mason (where we met). I have never seen it in daylight". "Alright sure." Alex replied, not thinking much of it. "It will be quick. You need to get your walk in anyways." - The plan was in motion. Approaching the water next to Fort Mason, the two of them could hear seagulls, feel the strong gusts, and smell the ocean's fresh air. Alex laughed at how different it looked during the day. Rob commented how he almost never asked that simple question just 2 and a half years earlier: "Can I have your phone number?" Admiring the San Francisco Bay, Rob turned to Alex and said, "Now I have one more question." "Will you marry me?"