Lea and Jason’s story starts the old fashioned way: face to face in a dimly lit bar, with some liquid courage and an opening line. One night in Portland, Lea walked into Suki’s, her typical weekend karaoke spot, ready to sing. Jason, who was living in Sacramento at the time, was visiting friends in Oregon when he spotted her sitting alone at a high-top table in the corner. She saw him: tall, dark, and handsome, a dazzling chain around his neck, singing Frank Sinatra. He saw her: long legged, confident presence, and absolutely not the type of woman he was going to let leave without at least saying hello. So he did. “Hey, I see you’re sitting here by yourself. I’m here with my friends if you’d like to join us,” he said. “I’m good, thanks though,” she replied. After a few more failed attempts, they went their separate ways. Two months later, they found themselves in the exact same place. After a chorus of “I remember you,” Jason said, “Fate must want us to know each other,” and asked her to join him and his friends once again. This time, she did. What followed wasn’t the typical romance. Lea stayed in Portland, Jason went back to Sacramento, and they built their connection the long-distance way: daily FaceTime calls, virtual dinner dates, and perpetual travel plans. They got to know each other intimately, always cheering each other on from states apart. Their first official in-person date started with Jason greeting Lea at the airport, bouquet in hand, and ended at Pine Cove Tavern in Sacramento where they sang together for the first, but certainly not the last, time. They turned digital chemistry into real-world sparks. Lea quickly claimed herself as Jason’s girlfriend and, six months later, did something she never thought she’d do—this fiercely independent Oregonian packed up her life and, over Memorial Day weekend 2025, moved to Sacramento to dive headfirst into their relationship. With long-term commitment in mind, these love birds spent the rest of the year integrating their lives, getting to know each other’s friends and families, and attending countless events, hand in hand and grinning ear to ear. Come November, unbeknownst to Lea, Jason was ready to take the next step. In true Jason fashion, the proposal was not casual. Knowing Lea’s birthday often got overshadowed by Thanksgiving, he booked a Virgin Voyages cruise to make it unforgettable. Behind the scenes, he was in full 311-operations mode: secretly meeting daily with the ship’s organizer to orchestrate the perfect surprise, recruiting new cruise-ship friends as co-conspirators, and pretending it was all “just for her birthday.” With the help of their new friend Aya, Lea was lured out “to take pictures” and led to a private indoor spot overlooking the ocean. There, surrounded by newfound friends made at sea, Jason asked her to marry him. She said, “Yes!” In the year they’ve been together, Jason and Lea’s favorite moments haven’t just been the big parties or club nights—it’s been the rhythm of real life. Lea works from home providing tele-therapy while Jason heads downtown to keep Sacramento’s 311 running smoothly. They both love the time when the work day is done and Lea gets to greet Jason at the door with a kiss. Most evenings end with a home-cooked dinner, the two of them talking through their day, then curling up with snacks and a TV show. On weekends, you’re just as likely to find them cheering on their Sacramento teams, dancing with mermaids, enjoying brunch, or waiting at the airport for their next adventure. Together, they’ve already traveled to multiple states and countries, attended concerts from Ludacris to Alejandro Fernández, and, of course, sung more karaoke duets than either will admit. Whether they’re sailing the ocean or hanging out in their living room, Lea and Jason always circle back to the thing that brought them together: grabbing a mic, having fun, and choosing each other—loudly, joyfully, and in harmony.

Lea Louise Flego, originally from Portland, now calls Sacramento home. Lea has always had a passion for helping others (and talking) and found it easy to settle into a career as a therapist. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Portland State University in 2012 and a Master’s degree from Lewis and Clark College in 2016. After years of serving in community mental health, Lea opened up her own private practice in 2021 where she currently specializes in couples and family therapy. Lea’s friends would describe her as energetic, outgoing, and always ready to cheer others on. Her family knows her as strong-willed, outspoken, and dedicated to achieving her goals. As a true Sagittarius and Oregon native, Lea has passion for exploration and adventure and is often found at sporting events, playing in the water, singing karaoke, and twerking on the dance floor. Lea has always been happier in motion. After retiring from a near two-decade long career in TaeKwon Do, Lea took up running. She has competed in several races and completed her first half-marathon in 2025. In her down time, Lea likes to cook, watch Love Island, and cuddle with her two French Bulldogs. Lea’s independent nature and love for karaoke brought her to the newest iteration of her grandmother’s old piano bar and into the path of her now-fiancé, Jason. His tall frame, smooth voice, and abundance of rizz caught her eye, but it was his thoughtfulness, perseverance, and dedication that won her over. Never before thinking she would ever leave her home state and family, Lea knew where her future was and, determined as ever, found herself making California her new home. In the year they’ve been together, Lea’s adventurous spirit has thrived. From quinceañeras to cruises, Lea and Jason have traveled to 5 states and two countries, but will forever enjoy a trip back to their home state. With her travel buddy and singing partner by her side, Lea looks happily to her future and the greatest adventure of all: building a life with her love.

Jason Wayne Lemus Taylor (or “JT” if you’ve met him in California) grew up in the small town of Dallas, Oregon, but these days he calls Sacramento home. A proud Oregon State Beaver with both a BS and MA from OSU, Jason now serves as the Officer of Sacramento County’s Non-Emergency (311) Operations—basically the guy who makes sure thousands of people get the right help without ever dialing 911. He’s a planner, a natural networker, and the sort of extrovert who somehow knows a guy for everything. Friends know him as jovial, structured, and always five steps ahead when it comes to organizing the next hangout, event, or full-blown themed party. Outside of work, Jason’s happiest in his sweet spot: sports on TV (especially football and basketball), a karaoke mic in hand, brunch plans in motion, or a cruise on the calendar. He loves Sacramento Kings games, a good night out, and the occasional video game session. Among friends, he’s known for hosting, connecting people, and turning a simple plan into a full social experience—usually with a playlist and, if there’s a karaoke machine nearby, at least one power ballad. Jason and Lea’s story started at a now-legendary (and now closed) Portland karaoke bar called Suki’s, where he noticed a beautiful woman with long legs sitting alone at a high-top in the corner. What followed were many long-distance FaceTime dates, a first in-person date at Pine Cove Tavern in Sacramento, and eventually Lea’s big leap of faith move to Sacramento over Memorial Day weekend 2025. Jason later proposed in peak “planner meets romantic” fashion: secretly working with the crew of a Virgin Voyages cruise to pull off a surprise proposal in a private indoor spot overlooking the ocean, surrounded by new cruise-ship friends who had been in on the plan. Now, when they’re not traveling, singing karaoke together, or rewatching “Epic: The Musical,” Jason’s favorite routine is the simple one—coming home from Downtown Sacramento, sharing dinner Lea cooks, talking about their day, and building a life together one snack, song, and adventure at a time.