We fulfill many a stereotype -- opposites attract, black cat and golden retriever, short skirt and a long jacket -- it’s also exactly how our relationship began… Hillary has never shied away from confidently communicating, which was also true for her Hinge profile and approach to securing first dates. Hannah was much less interested in filling her weekends with dates and instead went with the quality over quantity approach, and thankfully Hillary messaged her during a time that she had turned her profile back on. Hillary, not known for her patience, was displeased with Hannah’s lack of immediate response and offered anytime and anyplace with a double text. Hannah, who insists on never being over-scheduled, had an uncharacteristically packed weekend. Not wanting to miss on out this particular match, however, she committed her free Sunday Brunch slot to Hillary but Unfortunately, that coincided with a particularly fun and late evening at Emo Drag Night. Hillary, typically known for filling her weekends as full as her coffee cup, was eager and a little nervous for meeting this mysterious woman outside of her usual radius in the Mission. She arrived 20 minutes early and made plans for later that afternoon expecting a shorter first date than typical. It certainly was atypical but for all the best reasons! Hannah might have been a few minutes behind and saw Hillary from a block away leaned back in her chair at Hannah’s chosen date spot -- the Friends with Benedicts breakfast pop-up. Not knowing that Hillary had switched tables and chairs in efforts of perfection (and warned the waiter of her Celiac’s so as not to be ‘that girl’ on the first date). Neither of us actually remember the first things we said, but that first hug felt equal parts exhilarating and comforting. As the side order of bacon helped ease Hannah’s hangover, the mimosas flowed with the conversation. When it came time to leave -- we shut the place down -- Hillary swiped her card before Hannah realized what was happening. Slightly flustered and taken aback, she wanted to split the bill. “You can get the next one,” said Hillary and we promptly moved to the cute little wine bar down the block for round two. Since that sunshine day in August 2022, everyday has been about seeking the balance. While we may be opposites in many ways, the middle of our venn diagram is much larger than we could have known on that first date. We feel so lucky to share our core beliefs while learning from each other everyday. Our wedding day will be the perfect marriage of our blended tastes and our love for each other, with our people near and far, and our future together. xoxo H+H

Our first New Year's Eve

To celebrate Hannah's 30th (and Hillary actually taking time off), we spent a week in Waikiki!

After growing up in Danville, going to school in Santa Cruz, and bopping around in Napa and SF, Oakland was one of the last stops in the Bay for Hannah! Hillary was very excited and for something new with so many friends leaving the bay area (and with a washer/dryer in unit). For our next chapter, we wanted something that was new for both of us. The top priority: sunshine spots for Tilly, Kiwi, and Hannah's extensive collection of plants (Jolene, Karl, JLo, Cosmo, Agatha, Rio, Rizzo, and Shane to name a few).

After an intense Q12024, Hillary needed a true break and to be unplugged from her work world. It also served as the perfect cover for a surprise proposal. In the mountains versus ocean debate, Hannah chooses mountains and Hillary chooses ocean. And, we each took that to heart in planning our proposals! Outside of one night in Seattle and a weekend supporting the Wenatchee Wild, Hillary had never explored the Pacific Northwest. Hannah had always enjoyed visiting friends in Seattle and we both wanted to check out the new Sports Bra in Portland. Our first stop was Mount Shasta, where Hannah's mom called home for many years. We spent a few days amongst the mountains, Hannah taking Hillary to all her favorite spots in town -- most notably the crystal shops. Making the most of the day when Hannah would say 'yes!' we woke up at 5am to make the drive to Crater Lake. Neither of us had been, but it was high on the bucket list. Even with all of Hillary's pre-planning, there was way more snow than anticipated for the month of May! We made it down the slipper snow to an epic view of the lake. Hillary set up her phone to take photos and sneak a video of popping the question... Hannah was less enthused about said photo, but she's very thankful to have the video now! We made the drive the rest of the way to Portland for dinner at Kaan and special surprise and note from Chef Gregory Gourdet. We spent the next week celebrating with family and friends over Facetime and in-person! Hillary finally got to experience the Space Needle and now comments as such when rewatching any and every Grey's Anatomy episode. We both got distracted by the Hannah's ring as the light hit it just right on our hundreds of miles in the car.

While Hannah was adamant about a private proposal, Hillary made it known that she wanted to celebrate our second proposal among friends and loved ones. Hannah, more Type B than Type A, was tasked with pulling off the epic surprise proposal of Hillary's dreams. With so much help from friends and loved ones, Hannah was able to collect friends near and far to celebrate Hillary on her big day. After surprising Hillary with her long distance best friend MC, the two were promptly instructed to leave the apartment to spend the day together. While the two friends were getting their nails done, Hannah and her crew grabbed their supplies and headed to find the perfect spot near Ocean Beach in San Francisco. Before leaving the apartment, Hannah placed a card with Hillary's next steps to find her - along with two outfits to choose from. To Hannah's pleasant surprise, her plan went off without a hitch. The secret location was shared with MC, who was tasked with making sure Hillary got there safe and sound. Hillary was met with a lovely staged spot on the cliffs, and her future wife waiting for her to ask the big question. Once Hillary put on her ring, friends jumped from behind their hiding spots to celebrate us with hugs and bubbles. We were even cheered on by passersby on the beach down below. We were lucky to not just have one, but two perfect proposals.