On April 8, 2017, my brother Patrick invited Vanessa and her sister, Tori, over to our house to hang out. I was just getting home from work, and they were all in the kitchen. When I walked in, time froze. I saw her. She was wearing a faded red crewneck, her hair up in a ponytail, her bright green eyes staring right at me. In that moment, I saw my future. Over the next two years, I tried time and time again to win her over, to no avail. Then, on April 20, 2019, when she was finally ready, Vanessa decided to ask me out. I would have married her that day but I wanted to wait. Not because I wasn’t sure she was the one, but because a woman as perfect as Vanessa deserves the perfect place, the perfect moment, and the perfect ring. In September of 2024, I started ring shopping, and with the help of Tori, I found the perfect ring. Over the next few months, I coordinated with Patrick, Tori, and Vanessa’s best friend, Bailey, to plan the perfect proposal. The idea was to tell Vanessa that my brother was training a new photographer in San Diego and needed models for a photoshoot. On December 13, 2024, we took Vanessa to Balboa Park for the photoshoot. We spent a few hours walking through the park, taking photos. As the sun began to set, we made our way to the Japanese Friendship Garden. Patrick had Vanessa pose in front of a small waterfall with her back turned to me. In that moment, I got down on one knee, my arms and legs trembling. I asked Vanessa to turn around and I asked her to marry me. -Kevin