We're getting married!

In 2014, Yaya first spotted Alvaro when he came up for a probate. He was standing there, looking like a catalog model who accidentally wandered into upstate New York. She thought, Wow, he's cute. Alvaro, meanwhile, did not notice her at all. Classic. For the next five years, they crossed paths—cookouts, Posse ceremonies, random campus things—but never interacted. In fact, it wasn’t until a mutual friend’s birthday party that they were forced to say hi. You know the vibe: small talk, awkward nods, mutual internal monologues of “Wow, this person is probably the worst.” Yaya decided Alvaro was arrogant. Alvaro decided Yaya was full of herself. A beautiful moment of mutual disinterest. When the night ended, Alvaro offered to drive everyone back to their friend's place. On the way, he & Yaya had their first real conversation, & it was... actually kind of fun? So when late-night pizza was suggested, Alvaro figured he’d stick around—& maybe sneak in a few more conversations with her. From 2 am to 5 am, they talked to virtually no one else, bonding over an absurd list of shared traits & memories they later called “Mamba Moments”: both being ESFJs, both giving the Baccalaureate speeches at Union, a shared love for Turkey Tuesdays, knowing exactly how wax feels on fingertips, having tiger cats named Simba, & eating a ton of Mambas. Then came the million-dollar question. "I know it’s late," Alvaro said, "but do you want to go to the Women's March tomorrow with me & my students?" Now, Yaya is not a morning person. But she was also smitten. So she said yes, went home to nap for an hour, then met him & a dozen of his KIPPsters at Boston Commons at 9 a.m. They marched. They sang. They laughed. They grabbed tea at Tatte. And just like that, something was there. Soon after, they started a two-person book club (s/o Rich Dad Poor Dad & The Five People You Meet in Heaven). Alvaro would pull up in his new Infiniti, smooth & polished. Yaya would pick him up in her 2003 Honda CRV, blasting Young Joc at full volume through a cracked windshield. Yet, Alvaro loved this about her. He did have a few thoughts about her platform sneakers, however. The dates piled up. Yaya surprised Alvaro with an Anderson .Paak concert, an archery night with friends, & a surprise party at his house. After that, he knew it was over. They made it official on a trip to NY & not long after, took a leap of faith & moved in together. “We ask, and we don’t judge,” right? Look at them now. Two months later, the pandemic hit. Now, some couples would've crumbled under the pressure of 24/7 togetherness. Not them. They were that special kind of annoying that only they could tolerate. Isolation accelerated their bond. Alvaro taught from home. Yaya studied for the MCAT. She convinced him to grow his hair out. They cooked. They worked out. They hosted game nights. And by August, they figured, “let’s buy a house,” because apparently surviving lockdown together wasn't commitment enough. Time passed, and Alvaro became the ultimate med school boyfriend—editing essays, running mock interviews, and being her biggest hype man. When Yaya got into med school in Chicago? He was all in. No hesitation. Just, “Let’s go.” Leaving everything behind wasn’t easy, but they had each other (& Brix), and that was more than enough. Then, in 2023, when Yaya was least expecting it, Alvaro proposed in a movie theater with a homemade video. In truth, he’d been planning to wait until after her graduation, but his sisters Clarke and Eloi asked, “Why wait if you know?” And he didn’t have a good answer. On 7/19/23, #PetersPutARingOnIt. Now, here they are, planning a wedding, still laughing at the fact that they once thought the other was insufferable. And after years of being glued to each other’s hip, they’ve learned the key to lasting love: Don’t judge a book by its cover. But do judge their shoes. We can't wait for you to celebrate this journey with us—and everything that’s yet to come!