Charis first spotted Russell at a high school house party, where he was casually rocking a Hawaiian shirt with a large python draped around his neck. Naturally, she thought, Huh, this guy is pretty cool—and wonderfully weird. A few years later, on the Fourth of July in a shared friend’s Brooklyn backyard (shoutout Niamh!), their paths crossed again. That night, as they talked and laughed under the glow of sparklers, it became clear that something special was unfolding. Of course, their “chance” reunion wasn’t entirely left to fate—some very determined friends were pulling the strings behind the scenes. Call it matchmaking, call it destiny—but we like to think of it as the moment our story truly began. For the rest of that summer, and the many that followed, our love grew in a way that felt both effortless and deeply meaningful. We didn’t always know where life would take us, but one thing was certain: whatever this was, it was worth holding onto—through every adventure, twist, and turn to come. And here we are! Almost ten years to the day from that memorable summer night, finally making it official, throwing a big celebration, and embarking on a lifetime of love, laughter, and probably debating where to order takeout and whose turn it is to walk Arlo.