Celebrate the Love of

Lauren and Nick first met when a mutual friend invited Lauren to Nick's parent's house for a hot tub hangout. Lauren made it clear she was only there for the hot tub, but Nick knew instantly there was something special about her. Over time their friendship became something more, and they bonded over their shared interest in theatre and cinema. In fact their first date, in November of 2016, was at the Warnor's Theatre in Downtown Fresno for a screening of the original King Kong. They would end up returning there many times throughout the next few years. Two years later, their relationship would face a major change. Lauren moved to Florida to attend an acting MFA program at Florida Atlantic University. The pair endured long distance for nearly half a year, but at that point Nick (finishing up his own MA degree in English Lit) had enough of that and decided to give Florida a try. He packed up everything he owned in his car, and Lauren flew back to accompany him on a cross-country drive from California to Florida. They avoided falling into the grand canyon, survived a blizzard in New Mexico, and found safe harbor in the port city of New Orleans where they celebrated the new year with her parents and grandparents. Overcoming these new challenges, they grew closer. The two lived in South Florida for two years, and both made new friends. Lauren graduated right as the pandemic began, and for a summer they passed that strange quarantine era playing tennis, relaxing by the pool, or planning out the next phase of their lives. This peaceful time was not fated to last. The couple perhaps felt the call of another perilous adventure. They made the decision to take on New York City when Nick received a full scholarship to attend St. Johns Law School in the fall of 2020. The summer of 2020, they took another road trip from Florida to New York and have lived there ever since. Despite the inevitable struggles of adapting to New York City life, the couple came to love their new home. It was a time of hard work but also of exhilarating new experiences. Nick found time to sneak out of their apartment and explore Central Park looking for the perfect proposal spot. One perfectly sunny spring afternoon at the Central Park Conservatory Garden, Nick proposed and Lauren happily accepted. After having waited patiently for many years, both are happy to be able to share the light of their love with their family and friends.