I was living in California for a season. But Chicago’s always been home. She was still in Philly, prepping for residency, not even in the city yet. But somehow—through a glitch or maybe grace—we both had our dating apps set to Chicago. That’s where we matched, before either of us had actually arrived. Call it timing. Call it mystery. Call it something that was supposed to happen. Our first date took place between her half-unpacked boxes. She had just gotten to Chicago. I had just gotten back. We played Mortal Kombat. She won. We kept hanging out way longer than planned. At some point, a stranger walked past us and said, “Your dog is cute, but your girl is cuter. You better put a ring on that.” Even Cocoa wasn’t sure what to make of her. She peed on Cherry’s side of the bed for a week. That’s how it started. But something deeper took shape quickly. Cherry was in the thick of residency—long shifts, difficult cases, and constant pressure. I stood beside her through those years. I watched her grow, not just as a physician, but as a leader. When she applied to become Chief Resident at Rush, it was clear—she carried that responsibility with conviction and grace. At the same time, I was rebuilding. Coming out of loss. Letting go of a former career. Trying to shape a new identity that aligned with what I felt called to do—tech, finance, coaching. It was messy. And she met me right in the middle of it. She never asked me to have it figured out. She saw the version of me I was still learning to believe in. We didn’t just fall in love. We helped each other become. We come from families that know sacrifice. That understand what it means to carry one another. Her roots run deep in Chinese tradition. Mine stretch through generations of Filipinos who crossed oceans to build something lasting. That shared language—of showing up, of staying in it—shaped how we love too. We overanalyze playoff stats. We argue about food rankings. We dive into random YouTube black holes. We share playlists. We get excited about small things. We’ve carried each other through some very big ones. Now—after years of growing, laughing, building, and becoming—we’re getting married. We chose Toledo, Spain not just because it’s beautiful (though it is). We chose it because it connects back to my family’s roots. My Lolo traced our family name to that city. He left home to build something for future generations. This wedding is part of that promise fulfilled. We’re not just starting a new chapter. We’re stepping into a longer story. One built on faith, love, and legacy. “It is important to a person to know his/her roots in order to know who he or she is.” – Antonio T. Abiera Thanks for being part of ours. We can’t wait to celebrate with you.