Ariana and Jose’s journey began in the spring of 2020, during the chaos of a global pandemic. Amidst the uncertainty of those times, they managed to find each other on Bumble. To this day, they’re still not entirely sure how their paths crossed—after all, Jose lived in the Valley, and Ariana was in Santa Monica. There’s a theory involving Jose chasing Baby Badass Burgers to UCLA, which might have brought them close enough for their profiles to connect. It all started with a simple message about a game night, sparking a conversation that led to their first date. Jose, being the gentleman he is, gave Ariana the freedom to choose the restaurant. Naturally, she picked one close to her place (since she had never ventured to the Valley before). Despite this, Ariana still managed to be fashionably five minutes late. Stepping out of her Uber, she spotted Jose waiting outside, rocking the brightest floral button-up shirt and an unforgettable smile. Their first date was a success, but soon after, pandemic restrictions tightened again. This didn’t deter them. Instead, it sparked a series of creative quarantine dates: picnics, hikes, movie nights, and evenings spent cooking dinners together. For their one-month anniversary, Jose surprised Ariana with a thoughtful gesture: a huge hot air balloon basket filled with her favorite chocolate chip cookies and, to her astonishment, lactaid milk. To this day, Ariana isn’t sure how Jose knew about her lactose-free preference, but he did! These moments laid the foundation for something truly special. Fast forward a year, and Jose made a big move to Las Vegas for work. A year later, Ariana followed, and their adventure in a new city began. In January 2023, Jose orchestrated the perfect surprise. He convinced Ariana they were going on a family wine day. On the flight to California, Ariana’s phone died, so she borrowed Jose’s to text her mom. That’s when she noticed Jose quickly deleting a text thread with her mom—a little suspicious, but she brushed it off. When they arrived at the stunning Cielo Farms with family, they all walked to a beautiful viewpoint. Jose, seemingly casual, told Ariana to “look at that bird!” Confused, she turned back to find Jose down on one knee, holding a gorgeous ring. Her face lit up with a smile as she said “of course!” amidst cheers and happy tears. Since then, they’ve adopted two adorable cats, making their little family complete. Now, they can’t wait to celebrate the next chapter of their story with all of you!