It started with a swipe right. Brandon and Jennie met when the rest of the world had just shut down. The pandemic closed restaurants, shuttered movie theaters, and left concert venues empty. It wasn’t the most ideal circumstances for dating, but Jennie and Brandon had something special. Their first date was at an empty karaoke bar, in the throes of 2020, but for them that just meant that they had the space all to themselves. In those uncertain times they sang their hearts out together. Nothing could get in the way of their blossoming love, not even a global pandemic. They found plenty to bond over in lockdown, like their shared love of anime, gaming, and punk rock music. Beyond the walls of home they even discovered a lifelong passion for hiking and exploring Oregon’s great outdoors. Their love grew in the toughest of times, all the more evidence of the strength, resilience, and sureness of their bond. With the world finally opened up, there’s no longer anything holding them back from traveling together on life’s next great adventure!

In early July of this year, Jennie and Brandon celebrated their three year anniversary on a trip down to the Oregon coast with family. They enjoyed one of their signature hikes through the romantic coastal wilderness. After dinner, Brandon took Jennie on a walk along the shoreline to enjoy that cool ocean breeze. That’s when Jennie stumbled upon the scene: a series of candles set up in a heart shape in the sand. You can guess what happened next. The day ended with Jennie saying, “Yes!”