Omana and Alex’s story started with a little Zoom square in August 2020. They were both earning their Master’s in Public Health at Tulane University and navigating graduate school from behind computer screens during COVID. During that first week of class, Omana spotted Alex in one of the boxes and thought, “Wow, this guy is really handsome.” When Alex introduced himself to the class and mentioned he’d be moving from New York to New Orleans soon, Omana quietly hoped their paths would cross — ideally, somewhere outside of Zoom. A few weeks later, fate (and the end of a long lecture) brought them face-to-face for the first time after an in-person class. From there, a friendship quickly formed. In March of 2021, Alex (finally) asked Omana out, and after that they became pretty much inseparable. Together, they soaked up all that New Orleans had to offer: hanging out with their friends, seeing incredible live music, spending afternoons and evenings on the bayou, attending as many festivals as they could, trying different restaurants, and riding bikes in City Park. Somewhere between crawfish boils and Mardi Gras parades, they realized they’d fallen for each other — and for the city that brought them together. After graduating in Spring 2022, Omana and Alex moved in together. As their relationship grew, they began taking trips home to visit family and friends. With Alex having grown up in Rhinebeck, NY, and Omana in Emerson, NJ, those visits made them realize just how close their hometowns actually were. Alex often visited his relatives in New Jersey, only a few towns over from Omana, and they like to joke that they were bound to cross paths eventually (maybe they already had) — if not in New Orleans, then probably at a New Jersey bagel shop. In October 2023, they moved to Washington, DC, where they’ve made a cozy home together. Then, in March 2025, during a trip back to New Orleans, Alex surprised Omana with a proposal surrounded by the city — and the friends — that started it all. It was a weekend full of laughter, love, and many happy tears. Now, as they continue to build their life together (and spend plenty of weekends bouncing between NY, NJ, and anywhere with good food, family, and friends), they can’t wait to celebrate their next big adventure — getting married on May 30th, 2026, surrounded by all the people who mean the world to them!