We're getting married!

The couple met on the dating app, Bumble, during the summer of 2019. Sara had just returned from her study abroad in Europe and was settling into her new apartment in Sacramento, and Michael was back home in Folsom for the summer while he interned at the Blue Diamond Almond Factory. Their initial online chat was light, discussing cookies, coffee, and chemical engineering, until Michael took a leap and asked Sara out on a date. Even though they were strangers, she happily said yes. Their first date was at Jack’s Urban Eats in Midtown. They greeted each other shyly, went inside, and ordered at the counter. Michael volunteered to pay—but when his credit card was unexpectedly not accepted, Sara graciously covered the bill. They found a table and conversation flowed effortlessly. They talked about their lives, politics, bog bodies, and all kinds of things you aren’t supposed to talk about on a first date. So engrossed in talking, they didn’t notice the restaurant shutting down around them, until staff kindly informed them it was closing time. After dinner, they took a stroll through Midtown and stopped by a gelato shop—this time Michael paid. They spent the rest of the summer exploring Sacramento and Folsom on delightful dates, making the most of their time together before Michael had to return to Cal Poly in September. Though not officially a couple, they talked non-stop while he was back at school, and Michael managed to visit home more times that quarter than he ever had before. In January, just after New Year's, Michael finally asked Sara to be his girlfriend. She, of course, said yes.