In September of 2019 I met Kat, a new employee at ABC Construction. By pure chance, our first conversation was about San Diego. We'd have conversations over time as co-workers. We never really got to know each other before the pandemic outside of some general co-worker chatter, but after some time I knew I wanted to get to know her more. Eventually I mustered up the courage to ask her out on a date in the Summer of 2020. Not long after our first date, I knew I wanted her to be more than just another co-worker or casual date and to be my girlfriend. She said yes! We would hang out a lot more over time, and have fun learning more about each other's culture. It was fortunate that we were about a 5 minute drive from each other. Even before popping the question, I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her and nobody else. I've loved learning more about Kat throughout this experience and am grateful to have had the chance to do so. From the bottom of my heart: Thank you everyone, and thank you for reading my story. I'm excited for you to celebrate with us! Much Love, Dino

In the Summer of 2019 I was living in San Diego and was invited to visit my friends, the Christofakis family, in New York. While in New York I took Summer classes at Baruch College to see if I could learn more about blueprinting and construction. I was also busy building my career in UX Web Design for my 3rd consecutive year working from home. As Summer came to an end, my new friends and family extended their invitation to me to continue living with them in New York. Soon after making my decision to stay in New York, I received a job recommendation at ABC Construction. While my background in web design and digital broadcasting didn't fully align with construction, I have always tried my best to help those around me. After beginning work at ABC Construction, Dino and I met each other for the first time. Only after a few months of working in Queens, the pandemic hit and I worked from home again. From there it would take Dino and I a little under a year to go on our first dinner date and a few short weeks to officially ask me to be his girlfriend. During this time we also found out we weren't only co-workers--we were neighbors! A little over 2 1/2 years of dating, Dino and I got engaged in San Diego at the end of the Imperial Beach Pier. Earlier this year I decided to join the Greek Orthodox church. Part of joining the church meant that I could officially ask the Christofakis family to be my God parents, and be able to marry into the Kokkosis family in Greece. I am extremely grateful for the friends and families in New York who have taken me under their wings, which without their help I would never be here writing this story now. Thank you for taking the time to read my story-- I can't wait to celebrate with all of you! With Love & Aloha, Kat

It was my 30th birthday and we took a trip to San Diego. One day during our vacation, Dino wanted to take me for a walk down the pier at the beach in my hometown. That day I was not feeling well, all I wanted for my birthday was to stay home and relax in my pajamas. There was no way he would change my mind. After trying to convince me to go out he told me that he and Rob, my sister's husband, made plans for dinner and reserved a table at a restaurant. He told me that they had made a reservation at the Tin Fish. The Tin Fish in Imperial Beach is a restaurant at the end of the pier that does not take reservations, they don't have waitresses and they call out your order number on an old speaker outside of the restaurant. I thought, surely they did not make a reservation there, but I may as well go for the walk down the pier. As we walked down the pier, we got to the end where there was a stranger pointing a camera phone at us smiling. I was so confused and Dino didn't seem to notice. Then as we turned the corner I see a red velvet blanket spread out with a sign that says "Will you Marry Me?" I asked in shock if that set up was for me?! He knelt down to ask me to marry him, and I said YES! My family came running out of the restaurant to surprise me with a bottle of champagne to pop! Oh, and the stranger who was filming us--gave us our recorded proposal LOL! Since I still wasn't feeling well Dino planned a pizza party at home for me to enjoy in my pajamas hehe I will love him for the rest of my life and forever after.