Our love story began like any other great love story... We swiped right! Even though we were both music students at the University of North Texas, our paths never crossed until we connected on a dating app. After some light digital flirting, Samantha suggested that we should meet for coffee and Ruben turned her down, because he insisted on taking her on a proper date to dinner. Although neither of us were aware of it, we had our first date on Superbowl Sunday, February 5, 2017. (The waiter kept referring to "the big game," but we were oblivious.) Couldn't tell you who won that big game... but we knew this date was a game changer!

HIS STORY Honestly, I would have proposed after the second date. Okay maybe not that fast, but I really did know something was different about this relationship and where we were headed to from the very beginning. We both did! Samantha, knowing how impatient I can be, had this whole list of things she wanted us to accomplish as a couple before I was allowed to propose. The very last thing on that list was the completion of her schoolwork. So when she returned to Austin, after finishing her final defense, I made sure the apartment was covered in rose petals, the room was lit with candles, dinner was ready, and that our favorite song was playing, "Can't Help Falling in the with You." You know, that song says "only fools rush in" to love and maybe that means I'm the fool, but like I said I knew from the very beginning I would marry her. She said YES and made me the happiest fool on the planet. HER STORY I knew I was going to marry Ruben fairly early in our relationship. But I am a planner and I had a whole idea as to how exactly our proposal was going to happen. And in no part of that plan was it happening any time soon. In fact, I was on my way to Denton to defend my dissertation, telling my granny on the phone (not 24 hours prior to the proposal) that we were waiting a while before we were going to take that step. I had a very quick turnaround period between my arrival in Austin and my call time for an opera performance. I was dead on my feet coming home that night and very hungry. I called Ruben on my way back, to ask him to put some jalapeno poppers in the oven. Very romantic, I know! I couldn't understand why he sounded so frazzled and wouldn't give me a straight answer on how long they needed to cook. Well, all was answered when I walked in the apartment and saw him down on one knee. Suddenly, I didn't care too much about my plan anymore. THEIR STORY https://www.facebook.com/rbalboa3/videos/pcb.10161109148525646/10161109140815646/?type=3&theater