We're getting married!

How We Met (Anthony’s Version) It all started at a meme party—yes, you read that right. As the room was filled with laughter and silly costumes on that hot summer night, something far more meaningful was about to begin. Amid all the fun, the dance floor opened. I saw Araceli from across the room, and something told me I had to find a way to talk to her. I worked up the courage, walked across the room, and asked her to dance. I was so nervous, second-guessing every step. But she said yes! As we danced, we talked about anything we could think of. And what I couldn’t have imagined at that moment was that one dance would change my life forever. How We Met (Araceli’s Version) Like at every other party, I danced to every song I could get the chance to. By this point in the evening, I was a little tired, so I sat down with some of my friends. A few moments later, a song I really liked started playing, but I had no one to dance with. As I watched the crowd from my seat, Anthony slowly walked up to me. He held his hand out and said, “I’m a terrible dancer, but would you like to dance?” I couldn’t help but laugh at his honesty, so I said yes! For the first time in a long time, I felt like I had two left feet; I was so shy and embarrassed! But we clicked instantly, talking about everything we could fit into those few minutes as the song finished playing. Once the song was over, he thanked me, and we parted ways for the evening. I had no idea at the time that dance was the start of something so beautiful and extraordinary. When Sparks Flew We slowly became friends and got to know each other better. A few months later, Anthony invited me to a group hangout at Grandscape. I almost said no—I didn’t know anyone—but he encouraged me to bring friends, so I did. We showed up almost an hour late, and I was sure we’d never get invited again! But dinner went great, and afterward, we all walked to an arcade where Anthony and I played the quietest game of air hockey ever. He let me win, and I was thrilled. After that, we kept hanging out with mutual friends and grew even closer. Relationship Journey After a few months of friendship, we realized we wanted something more—so at the start of 2024, we made it official! Since then, we’ve made so many memories exploring new places together, from local coffee shops and botanical gardens to baseball games, cooking dates, and art museums. With each adventure (often with friends in tow), our bond grew stronger and our love deeper. The Proposal Then, after a year and some months later, what I thought was just a girls’ picnic turned into the surprise of a lifetime—because there wasn’t a picnic at all! When we arrived, Anthony was waiting for me at the start of a neighborhood trail with two dozen roses. As I was still in shock, he walked me up to a gazebo overlooking the water. When we reached the top, I saw our closest friends and family gathered there, smiling and waiting. That’s when he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. It was the easiest “yes” I’ve ever said, surrounded by the people we love most. Now, we can’t wait to start this next chapter together and are so excited to celebrate with you! We are forever grateful for all of your support.