They say, “When you know, you know.” What they really mean is that your soul recognizes home. It’s a bone-deep sense of safety mixed with an electric kind of excitement — the feeling that you’ve found your person. As Dr. Seuss so perfectly put it, “When we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into mutual weirdness and call it love.” In January 2021, Derek and Ilana matched on Bumble, exchanged a few messages, and decided to meet for hibachi at Saga Hibachi Steakhouse. Funny enough, neither of them touched their food or drinks — they were too busy being completely captivated by each other. The conversation flowed effortlessly, laughter echoed across the table, and from the very first night, the energy was undeniable. A few dates later, Derek confidently took on the challenge of teaching Ilana how to snowboard. (Brave man.) They quickly bonded over a shared love of fitness, movement, and chasing adventure. Derek introduced Ilana to rock climbing, and together they quite literally reached new heights. Soon after, they escaped for a long weekend in New York City, where Derek surprised Ilana with a photoshoot around DUMBO — capturing the joy and magic of a love story just beginning. It didn’t take long for them to realize they were absolutely crazy about each other. And the rest, as they say, is history… 🤍