Their journey began on a spooky October night in 2016 at a Halloween party, where fate brought them together through mutual friends. Neither of them was actively seeking a relationship, but there was an undeniable connection from the start. It felt like Yessenia had known Joe her whole life, and she was immediately drawn to his warmth, charm, and humor. In the early days, they only communicated through social media, as Yessenia was a little hesitant about giving out her phone number—"stranger danger," after all! It was a classic case of “playing hard to get”, but the suspense paid off in the end! Their first real adventure together was Christmas shopping, when Yessenia managed to get hilariously lost on the way to pick Joe up. It was at that moment that Joe finally got her number—probably out of sheer curiosity to see if she would ever show up! Joe knew just how to win Yessenia over—he captured the heart through her stomach! As the months passed, it became clear that what they shared was something truly special. Yessenia couldn’t imagine life without Joe and knew, without a doubt, that he was the one. A shared love for Disneyland became a cornerstone of their relationship. It was there that Joe asked Yessenia to be his girlfriend, marking the beginning of many magical Disney dates that they still cherish today, nearly eight years later! But it wasn’t just Disney that brought them together—they also bonded over football. Tailgates, game days, and stadium adventures have all become another special part of their story. In 2023, Joe managed to plan the sweetest proposal, even though they could never keep secrets from each other. Yessenia can't even hide a gift from him without spilling the beans! But somehow, Joe pulled it off. On his 30th birthday, what seemed like just a celebration of the big 3-0 turned into something even more magical when he got down on one knee in front of their closest family and friends. Yessenia was completely surprised and, of course, said yes! It was a perfect moment, and they still can’t believe Joe managed to keep the secret. Through life’s ups and downs, they have always stood by each other. They’ve supported one another through challenges and celebrated each victory together. Now, as they plan their wedding and look forward to a lifetime of adventures, they are both incredibly grateful for everything that led them to this moment—every laugh, every challenge, and every magical day spent together. They can’t wait to continue writing their story and share this new chapter with all of you. As Joe likes to say, they’re beyond excited to make their love “official like a referee with a whistle!”