We met the old-fashioned way: in real life at Shingletown in Ballard. Ariel spotted Erin while she was out with friends, and after some impressive bar-top dancing, he made his move and jumped down just in time to get her number before she left. He asked her out soon after, and on that first date they discovered they were living only a block apart. Convenient, right? Ariel quickly planned a second date... but ended up in the friend zone instead. Luckily for everyone, Ariel did not give up. He kept inviting Erin to work out “as friends,” and eventually one thing led to another. After a wine tasting outing with friends, they decided to give dating another shot — with a little help from Nate (yes, that Nate... our officiant). For their official “second first date,” Ariel took Erin to a rodeo and a country concert, which turned out to be a much better strategy. Since then, they’ve traveled the world together — including Barcelona, Copenhagen, and Egypt — and built a life full of adventure, laughter, and love. These days, they’re also raising their sweet dog, Penny, who is adorable, lovable, and still doesn’t listen to Ariel.