'Ohana Forever

Nikki and Grant’s story began in June 2022 at a beach soccer tournament called Soccer in the Sand. Nikki was trying her best to work the event and not have her eyes attracted to Grant too much, and Grant was doing his best to look cool while kicking a soccer ball and playing in the event. Funny enough, Nikki’s college soccer coach introduced the two just before the tournament weekend. From the moment they met, their connection was undeniable. Their first conversation was full of laughter, smiles, and a lot of playful banter, setting the stage for what was to come. They spent most of the tournament hanging out, despite the fact that Grant was supposed to be focused on soccer (whoops!). After the event wrapped up, Nikki had to return to Utah to get ready for her fall soccer season, while Grant stayed in Michigan to finish out his summer. Despite the distance, they kept in close contact, talking every day. It didn’t take long for Grant to make the next move—in true Grant fashion, he asked Nikki to be his girlfriend through an online game of Hangman on July 18, 2022, spelling out, “Nicole Olanda, will you be my girlfriend?” Shortly after they made things official, it was all about navigating long-distance love while Grant moved back out to Seattle for his soccer season. Somehow, despite the miles, they made it work, and here we are—celebrating the couple who managed to turn Hangman into a proposal!