Patrick likes to say they met on Tinder, Karen likes to blame Bumble, but the truth is a Facebook group brought them together. After being a part of the same online social group for a few months, Patrick and Karen met at a Taco Tuesday event in Temecula, CA. Her initial thoughts were that he was way out of her league, and he thought she was there with someone else. After a few weeks of liking each other’s memes and chatting online about their similar music tastes and shared love of food, they started dating. It was during that first date on November 24th that they knew they had something special.

When Karen woke up on Star Wars Day (May 4th) in 2020, she had no idea what Patrick had planned. They had just moved into their new home that weekend. Karen booked a couples massage as a way to say thank you for all the hard work that Patrick did for their family, not knowing her plans were interfering with something he had been planning for months. Patrick had their kids help light candles, spread rose petals, and set up signs that told the couple’s story. When Karen first saw the romantic setup, she was speechless. It was definitely a surprise! In the presence of their kids, some family, and a few close friends (via Zoom), Patrick got down on one knee and asked Karen to spend forever with him. It was magical, and the best start to their next chapter.