In true modern love story fashion, we met on Hinge. My answer to the prompt "What's the nerdiest thing about you?" was that I can recite every line in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Justin responded, "Is it bad that I've never seen those movies?" Yes, Justin. He convinced me to meet for drinks anyway, and after hours spent talking about a multitude of nerdy topics we were ushered out of the closing brewery. By then, we both knew this was something special. He still hasn't made it through the Fellowship of the Ring without falling asleep though. It's still a major point of contention in our house.

After almost three years together (but who was counting??) we had talked about getting engaged many times, so I thought I was prepared for the proposal. Spoiler: I wasn't. Finally, on a random Sunday in September 2021, I came home from my sister's house with dog in tow, soaked from the rain, sporting a sweatshirt and slippers. I was expecting him to be downstairs working, but instead he was waiting for me in a suit with six dozen red roses arranged around the living room, tea lights sparkling everywhere, and our song, La vie en rose by Louis Armstrong, playing in the background. To say I was blown away was an understatement. It was absolutely perfect.

We're both originally from Virginia and recently moved back to Richmond to be closer to family, but we decided to tie the knot in Seattle (well, technically just outside the city in beautiful Snohomish) because that's where we began our story. We loved our time in Seattle, and we wanted to share that part of our lives with our loved ones. The start of the Autumn season in Seattle is beautiful, so make sure to explore all that this amazing city has to offer while you're there!