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July 8, 2022
Topanga, CA

Chris & Jacqui

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We've Only Just Begun

Chris Portillo

and

Jacqui Garcia

July 8, 2022

Topanga, CA

How We Met

High School Sweethearts

After seeing each other around the halls since middle school, we became friends at the end of eleventh grade when I complimented Chris's shirt in Honor's English with a lame joke. We stayed friendly the summer before our senior year, what with Chris constantly texting me for the answers to our summer work for AP classes, and became BFFs by Fall. We were just drawn to each other, I couldn't believe how easy it was to talk to him and how much fun I could have with him. Our joy was effortless, and our friendship was beyond any other. During Thanksgiving Break, it was clear that we liked each other, we were already inseparable, and on December 1, 2014 we made it official and surprised the whole school. We didn't make sense to people, I was mysterious and intimidating and Chris was Mr. Popular, but we were soul mates. Right from the beginning, we mapped out our lives and knew one day we'd be married, there was no question. We were seventeen and felt complete. -Jacqui

The Proposal

Point Doom

In either January or February of 2021, I don't exactly remember, my friend Arthur took me to Joshua Tree at 3am to watch the sunrise in the desert. It was amazing. It freaking snowed. IN THE DESERT. It felt like a sign from God; I knew this was the place to propose to Jacqui. I spent months planning the exact location in Joshua Tree where I'd do it. Eventually, I decided to do it on top of these rock formations near the Cholla Cactus Garden. I would bring a picnic, we'd hike a little, then we'd watch the sunrise as I got down on one knee. It was gonna be so perfect and I would forever be the king of proposals. Anyway, it was May 7th, the day before the planned proposal, I was out buying food I knew Jacqui would love, but would never spend on herself. Specialty vegan gourmet shit, bro. Then, out of nowhere, Jacqui hits me with the "I'm sick" text... GREAT. And not only was she sick, but it was the stomach flu. I was out here buying the finest foods humankind has to offer, and she wasn't gonna be able to hold them down. We had already made plans to go to Joshua Tree the next morning at 3am, so we were hoping she'd get over it by nighttime. Of course, that didn't happen. I woke up the next morning & asked her how she was doing. She said she felt better, but it was already too late to go to the desert. That's when I began furiously googling "the most beautiful places in Malibu" & landed on Point Dume. I hid the ring & the picnic basket in my trunk, picked up Jacqui and we drove to Malibu. On the way there, we stopped at a gas station, and someone was playing the Grateful Dead in their car. THAT, was a sign from God. I knew that Point Dume was what was intended. We got to the beach, went on a hike, crossed over water & rocks to a more secluded area. During our picnic, I asked someone to film us. Jacqui thought I asked for a picture of us. It totally put her guard down. We posed together, I counted to three, got on one knee, and the rest is history. - Chris

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