We're getting married!

How It All Began If only we could go back to the exact date—but we believe it was August 2016 when fate brought Ily and Nick together at Cal State Long Beach during their grad school orientation. They remember locking eyes, both silently wondering, "Who is that?" Maybe at the time, romance wasn’t on their minds, but endless group projects, sleepless nights, and cohort outings slowly brought them closer together. Fast forward to graduation, and life took them on a whirlwind journey. Both began their professional careers, becoming freeway flyers, navigating new roles, and somehow managing to stay connected through it all. Nick, however, took his sweet time making things official—so one fateful (and slightly tipsy) day at Disneyland, the happiest place on Earth, Ily decided to speed things up and “persuaded” him to ask her out. From that moment on, the adventures never stopped. Countless dates later, they took the next big step, moving into their first apartment in Long Beach—where they endured the worst neighbor ever. Despite the chaos, one thing became clear: Ily missed her fur babies, Chiquita (RIP) and Lola, deeply. With that in mind, and after securing a few adjunct positions, they made a bold move—buying a beautiful home in East Whittier, where they could finally have the space (and peace) they dreamed of, along with their beloved pups. A year into their new home, Nick had fully embraced Ily’s incredible cooking, loved waking up next to her, and knew there was no one else he wanted by his side. So, in true Nick fashion, he planned a surprise getaway to Playa del Carmen, Mexico, where, on a warm summer night by the beach, he finally popped the question. And now, here they are—planning the next chapter of their lives, surrounded by the love and support of their favorite people. ❤️