Let's get married

In late April of 2018, Jen and Austin met unsuspectingly at a birthday party in Irvine, California. At the time, Jen was living in San Francisco—a job and city that sparked little joy for her. Austin, meanwhile, lived in Hoboken and was working at an advertising agency in Manhattan. As things go, they felt an immediate connection (albeit after an afternoon of drinks at the beach). Their first day together was long as it was enthralling. But the following day—as the rest of their their party contently sated their hangovers by veging the day away with MTV reruns—was when Jen and Austin seized on their remaining time together. After meandering through a local mall (Orange County isn’t known for its tourism), they found their way to a place called Boomers—a local mini golf and arcade spot that catered mostly to children and families. After a mean game of mini golf—which Jen certainly won and didn’t just tally the scores incorrectly—they visited the Californian Holy Grail that is In-N-Out, cementing the outing as their “first date.” Notably, Austin didn’t pay (but sincerely wishes he did). After laughing and storytelling their way through a nearby, and mostly closed, strip mall (again, Orange County has little to offer tourists, especially after 10pm on a Sunday), the chemistry between them, even while simply waiting for a Lyft, was undeniable. Their first kiss later that night confirmed as much. Long-distance phone calls turned into hours-long FaceTimes turned into logistical planning and job hunting and finding any, every, way to be together. The rest, as they say, is history.