Loading
Loading
Loading
Loading
Loading
Loading

Hillary & Christopher

    Home
    Schedule

Christopher Ruiz

and

Hillary Samagaio

August 23, 2025

Denver, NC
48 days48 d8 hours8 h47 minutes47 min49 seconds49 s

Our Story by Christopher Ruiz

It started as a story so many might dismiss—a simple friendship forged in the chaotic halls of high school. Not a love story, at least not in the beginning. They were best friends then, inseparable in the way that only teenagers can be when they believe the world is theirs to conquer. But life, as it often does, scattered them like autumn leaves in the wind after graduation. He enlisted in the Air Force, bound for the discipline and adventure of military life. She chose Chapel Hill, chasing dreams among the brick paths of academia. Their connection never fully faded, though. Every now and then, a sporadic message or a comment on snap chat bridged the gap, but they were just flickers of familiarity—not enough to keep their lives entwined. They became memories to each other, not companions. Then came the pandemic, a world-shattering event that forced even the strongest to pause. He returned from New Jersey, his dreams of soaring with United Airlines clipped, while she, faced with the uncertainties of completing her master’s and forging for work, left Georgia behind to find solace in familiarity. COVID-19 turned bustling cities into ghost towns and brought both of them back to the place they thought they’d outgrown—their childhood homes. It was in September, under the blazing sun and mid level food scene of Optimist Hall, where fate finally decided it was their time. The air inside Optimist Hall buzzed with soft murmurs of conversation, the clatter of plates, and the hum of orders being called out. He stood in line at a food stall, his mind half on the menu, and so was hers. It was just them, standing in a bustling crowd, time suspended. But then their eyes met. A momentary hesitation turned into a smile, and a passing glance shifted the rhythm of the evening. The line shuffled forward, breaking the spell, but the seed had been planted. It wasn’t the time for a reunion then. He was on a Tinder date—an uninspired attempt to navigate the chaos of quarantine-era romance. He was obligated to his date, and she was deep in conversation with her friends—but he couldn’t shake the thought of her. That night, as the world quieted around him, he reached out to a mutual high school friend. Her number came swiftly, almost as though the universe itself approved of his boldness. He texted her that night—a simple message, nothing fancy—and her reply came just as quickly. From there, a single thread unraveled into a tapestry of conversations, shared memories, and the discovery of a bond they’d never dared to explore before. What began as the rekindling of a friendship grew into something neither of them had expected. The journey was one of laughter, deep conversations, and the unshakable sense that, even after all those years apart, they had finally found their way home—to each other.

Footer image
For all the days along the way
About ZolaGuest FAQsOrder statussupport@zola.com1 (408) 657-ZOLA
Start your wedding website© 2025 Zola, Inc. All rights reserved. Accessibility / Privacy / Terms