Every year, they take turns planning their anniversary trip. For their sixth year, it was Anthony’s turn, and he chose to celebrate their dating anniversary with a getaway to a place neither of them had ever been, Napa Valley. It was their first visit, and they were both looking forward to a weekend filled with wine, sunshine, and time together in a beautiful setting. What she didn’t know was that Anthony had been planning something far more meaningful than just a romantic trip. On their second day, Anthony arranged a horseback ride through the vineyards. With just the two of them, the experience felt like something out of a movie. Toward the end of the ride, they stopped at a scenic overlook with breathtaking views of the vineyard, where a wine tasting had been set up. She believed it was simply another thoughtful anniversary surprise. Instead, Anthony turned to her, took her hands, and dropped to one knee, asking her to marry him. The entire weekend felt like a dream. They spent the rest of the day celebrating, visiting wineries, enjoying a jazz club in downtown Napa, and savoring every moment together. Their first trip to Napa became the beginning of their next chapter.

They met the way many modern love stories begin: at work. Both were in the marketing department, but on different teams, with bosses who saw each other more as competitors than collaborators. It created a subtle rivalry, one that Abi was oblivious to, but, in true Anthony fashion, he was fully aware of. When they first crossed paths, they didn’t exactly hit it off. Anthony couldn’t understand why Abi was so loud all the time, his words, not hers, and she was completely baffled by the fact that he seemed to be the only person in the entire building who didn’t like her. Somewhere along the way, they don’t even remember how, they ended up talking on Instagram and realized they actually… kind of liked each other. It turns out that behind his cranky exterior, Anthony has an amazing sense of humor, and his sarcasm matched Abi’s perfectly. And behind her loud, “unique” laugh was someone he would become completely smitten with. Fast forward to today: they are best friends who are successfully raising three great kids, can sit in silence or talk for hours, binge The Lord of the Rings (extended versions only), and tackle life together. They roast each other nonstop, but are also each other’s biggest supporters. Looking back, it’s kind of wild to think they started off as almost-enemies.