We met on Mike’s 31st birthday, at Coachella — of all places! By pure chance, we ended up camping just a few spots away from each other. Mike had flown to California for a work trip and decided to attend the festival, thinking it might be his only chance to experience Coachella. Kate, meanwhile, made last-minute plans with her best friend Danielle (MOH) and drove down from Northern California. Fate (and a bit of misdirection) played a role early on: after getting lost and ending up in the wrong car camping line, Kate and her friends were bumped a few cars ahead — which just so happened to put them near Mike. That was the first time he noticed her. After setting up his campsite, Mike looked around for the girl he’d spotted in line, only to realize she was already gone. On Day 2, he saw her again — but she was on the phone, and he didn’t want to interrupt. By Day 3 — the final day of the festival — Mike decided he wasn’t going home without at least saying hello. He went over to the neighboring campsite Kate and her friends had been hanging out at and struck up a conversation, hoping she'd stop by. Sure enough, she did. That’s when they were finally introduced. Both groups had originally planned to leave early due to work obligations, but after a couple hours of talking, they all agreed to enter the festival for “just a few hours.” Kate and Mike eventually wandered off from the group and ended up spending the rest of the night together — staying until the final set and then talking for hours back at the campsite. The next morning, they said goodbye and went their separate ways... but not for long. Shortly after leaving, Kate received a text from Mike that said: “I’m not done seeing you.” Once his work trip wrapped up, Mike asked if she’d be open to him extending his stay and meeting up in Northern California. Kate said yes without hesitation, and a few days later, they were back together — this time in an Airbnb in San Francisco, where they spent four unforgettable days. From then on, it was clear something special was unfolding. Despite the distance, they made it work — with countless texts, calls, and FaceTimes every day. Just a month later, Kate flew to visit Mike in New York... And, well — you know the rest :)