It all started in college, when a mutual friend of Samantha and James reposted Samantha’s photo on social media. After seeing her picture, James knew he had to message her. Samantha, naturally, ignored him for four days. (In her defense, she likes to keep things interesting.) When she finally replied, James planned their first date at Silverball Museum, a retro arcade he thought would be a lot more memorable than the typical dinner date. Ironically, getting to that first date took some effort. Between busy schedules and life getting in the way, they each ended up canceling on the other—twice. At that point, it almost felt like the universe was testing whether the date was ever going to happen at all. But once it finally did, it was worth the wait. To ease the first-date nerves, they turned it into a double date with Samantha’s friend (and now bridesmaid), Kristen. What started as “just meeting up” quickly turned into hours of arcade games, nonstop conversation, and ice cream afterward. Despite the obvious chemistry, the night ended with just a hug. No first kiss. (We love a slow burn.) Their first real one-on-one date came at Art Basel Miami Beach. Somewhere between the traffic, the art, and James casually walking up to shake Frank Ocean’s hand (because, of course, he did), everything clicked. By the end of the night, they both knew this was something different. From the very beginning, music was at the heart of their connection. James introduced Samantha to classics she had somehow missed, while Samantha made sure to educate him on the iconic 2000s hits missing from his playlists. They’ve been expanding each other’s playlists—and horizons— ever since, filling the years with concerts, adventures, and a soundtrack all their own. What began as a simple message turned into a love story neither of them could ignore. And the rest, as they say, is history. 🤍