Although we didn’t attend the same schools or live in the same areas, fate had other plans for us. Aaron grew up in Whittier, CA, and attended Santa Fe High School, while Emily grew up in Alhambra, CA, and went to Alhambra High School. Even in our early 20s, our lives were spent in different places, the chances of us crossing paths seemed slim. That all changed when we met through mutual friends. Though we didn’t start dating right away, we instantly clicked, especially with how we made each other laugh. What began as friendship quickly turned into something more when Emily invited Aaron, along with a few other friends, to her family cabin. That trip marked the beginning of a new chapter for us, and the rest, as they say, is history. It all started through Instagram direct messages, which quickly turned into texting—first occasionally, then first thing in the morning to the last text sent at night. We even upgraded to sending one another voice notes throughout the day whenever we had a free moment. We could talk about anything and everything. What began as only seeing each other in group hangouts soon turned into one-on-one dates, and with each passing day, our bond deepened. Three years after that first cabin trip, Aaron brought Emily back to the place it all started, where they hold the sweetest memories—Yosemite, CA—and asked Emily to marry him. The connection we shared then has only grown stronger, and we’re so excited to continue writing our story together. The story behind the photo below is referenced in our engagement story, found in the gallery tab.