Tommy and Bridget first met at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo in 2017 through a mutual friend. They chatted for all of 3 minutes at an Orchesis dance show before parting ways. The two exchanged instagram handles, but didn't have any interaction for over a year. Six years and two DMs later, Tommy found himself at Citizens SF, a small church which he had just begun to call home. He looked over and saw a gorgeous young woman walk into church and be seated. He was pretty sure she was new to the church, but there was still a strange familiarity about her. If you know Tommy, you know he rarely forgets faces and names! Within a few minutes he thought, "it must be that Bridget I met once." Unfortunately, that Sunday, he had to head out of town urgently, so it would be a few more weeks before he had an opportunity to approach Bridget. It was Bridget’s fourth time attending a Citizens Sunday service when this tall, handsome guy came up to her and introduced himself. Bridget was surprised by how easy conversation was with Tommy and how genuinely interested he seemed to be in what she had to say. About 10 minutes into their meeting, a new friend of Bridget's joined the conversation. Upon learning that Tommy also went to Cal Poly SLO, she asked if he and Bridget knew each other at school. Just as Bridget was about to say no, to her shock and embarrassment, Tommy replied yes! Later that day she looked Tommy up on social media to find that they did indeed follow each other and had exchanged a couple messages on Instagram in 2018 about a hike that Bridget had posted about (oops!). Bridget then messaged Tommy, confessing she had discovered the evidence that he was telling the truth. From there they chatted more until Tommy suggested that the two of them plan a hike with some other church friends. Bridget agreed, despite her skepticism that Tommy would actually follow through and arrange for a group of them to go. But Tommy proved to be a man of his word (a major green flag for Bridget). Only two weeks later the two of them were hiking in San Francisco with a group that Tommy had gathered together! This was the start of Tommy and Bridget getting to know each other.

After the group hike, Tommy knew he had to get to know Bridget more. He loved seeing her engage with others on the hike and fell for her approachable but confident demeanor. She knows who she is! They got to talk everything from Disney to church shopping in SF and why they both decided to stick with Citizens. At this point, Bridget was excited about Tommy and wanted to find an excuse to see him again. She told Tommy that she had been wanting to take up tennis again after playing in high school, but needed a partner. It was a middle school hobby Tommy had picked up, so he luckily already had a racquet. Although it was a pitiful display of skills on the tennis court, they both appreciated each other's ability to laugh at themselves. In the month following evening tennis, they developed stronger feelings through a 12-hour day hike, multiple concerts, mini golf and food trucks, an attempt to make hummus, more tennis, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival, and the list could go on. It seemed that conversation could never dwindle between them, from deeper questions about faith and each other's lives, to sharing their favorite music and laughing hysterically together. They made it official in early October 2022 when they knew they had something special between them, and have been inseparable ever since.

After only 5 months of dating, it was evident that Tommy and Bridget were made for each other. They looked at rings in the new year to get an idea of what Bridget liked, and started pre-engagement counseling with their pastor, Dave. They talked about getting engaged sometime in the summer, and finally in May, Tommy told Bridget to block off two Saturdays in June as "date days." On June 24, 2023, Tommy filled a picnic basket with wine, ingredients for caprese sandwiches, fresh fruit and lemon biscotti (like the true Italian he is). They found a spot at the base of Mt. Tam above Stinson Beach, and enjoyed the items Tommy had brought while playing chess. During their afternoon, Bridget happened to look behind her and see a figure duck quickly behind some bushes... Tommy denied seeing anyone there and they went on with their picnic. After a second time seeing someone by the bushes (with a camera this time), she felt more confident that it would be an important day. After a couple hours of "torturing" Bridget with anticipation, Tommy walked her over towards a view and told her why he was grateful for her. He finally got down on one knee with a ring and asked Bridget to marry him! With tears and adrenaline, she replied yes! At that point, two people emerged from behind the bushes, one being Tommy's friend and photographer, Luke, and the other being Bridget's childhood best friend, Alyssa. As if the day couldn't get any more perfect, Bridget was told they were going to a friend's house for a small dinner with 6 other people. To Bridget's shock, however, when she knocked on the front door, she was greeted by her parents who had driven all the way from San Diego! Many important family members and close friends from out of town had all gathered to celebrate Tommy and Bridget's engagement. Tommy had orchestrated an unforgettable day for Bridget. Since then, the two have been focused on their big day and enjoying being engaged! The rest of their story is just beginning...