We're getting married!

In the autumn of 2015, Angie and Michael first walked into their introductory Spanish class at UC Davis and saw each other. Angie was a sophomore, blissfully unaware that she should definitely not have registered for this class and would receive zero credit since she had taken Spanish throughout high school. Michael was a senior who had waited until the last possible minute to complete his language requirement. Quite the stroke of fate. Angie was immediately interested in the cute senior seated next to her, drinking iced coffee and journaling in a small black notebook during class. So grown up, she thought. Unbeknownst to her, Michael was just as interested in her, the preppy sorority girl who seemed really smart (when again, she just already knew all the basic Spanish they were being taught). After a lot of secret staring in the early days, Angie made moves, switching project groups to be in his and sending him her number via Facebook message. Michael responded by walking Angie out of class every day and asking her out on dates, but she refused at least six times in a row before saying yes. Their first kiss was November 30, 2015. After their first date, they became inseparable, despite both of them insisting it was casual due to Michael graduating in the spring. There was something effortless about their connection, so much innate understanding and joyful excitement. On February 7th 2016, they gave in to their budding love and became boyfriend and girlfriend. They first said “I love you” in early April, after a winter quarter of silly college antics like breaking into the campus pool for a midnight swim. When it came time for Michael to leave Davis after graduating, they fastened a lock to the lock bridge at the arboretum symbolizing the love they’d found, before attempting a mutual breakup to avoid long distance. But it only lasted a day; Michael threw his cards on the table and said that he wanted to be with Angie, and Angie eventually agreed to give long distance a try. They’ve been together ever since. Their lock remains fastened to the bridge. The slight distance between them proved to be no match for their profound connection. After two years of constant phone calls and weekend visits, Angie graduated in 2018, and it was a no-brainer to both of them to move in together. Just like those precious first months in Davis, sharing a home and life’s quiet little moments felt natural and right. As special as their origin story is to them, Michael and Angie most appreciate the happy little life they’ve built for themselves and their two cats, Fina and Willow. Their love lives in coffee runs, giggles on the couch, and navigating the adventure of growing up together.

One of Angie and Michael's first dates was a tandem bike ride around the Davis arboretum, and Michael decided he wanted to recreate the date in order to propose. While Angie was out of town, Michael scoured Craigslist for a red tandem bike similar to the one they rode 7.5 years ago. He found one in Auburn, fixed it up, and parked it in Davis the day before Angie came back home. Weeks prior, Michael had casually let Angie know that their friend was planning a river tubing day and they were invited; a cover Angie bought hook line and sinker. On the day of the proposal, Angie wore a swimsuit, jeans, and no makeup, prompting Michael to text Angie's best friend, "I really don't think she knows!" On the drive up, Michael casually proposed stopping in Davis for breakfast burritos, expecting Angie to become suspicious right away. But that didn't happen - Angie was absolutely clueless! So much so that even when Michael parked across from where they had their first kiss, led her to the tandem bike, and unlocked the bike claiming that "bike locks are pretty universal", Angie STILL had no idea and thought they were stealing someone's bike to do a quick lap for old time's sake! A very normal thing to do. They got on the bike, and Angie kept telling Michael to turn around (in her mind they had to return a stranger's bike and head to tubing), but Michael kept peddling past the hall where they met and into the arboretum. It wasn't until Michael parked the bike, turned to Angie, and handed her a T shirt that he had stuffed in his pocket to cover her swimsuit, that it finally dawned on her. Sweet words were said, many tears were shed, and Michael had planned one last surprise - an intimate engagement lunch with close friends and family. It was perfect.