First Swipe In 2012, James and Steve visited NYC for the holidays and chatted on a dating app. They were too busy to meet up, but realized they both lived in SF and promised to chat when they got back. First Hang Back in SF, ‘Beer Pong Night’ at Powerhouse Bar seemed like the perfect time to meet, but they couldn’t get on the pong table. Good thing James had a pong setup at his apartment and an overflowing costume drawer. Steve couldn’t resist the invitation. First Date The next day, James took Steve to Stacks, his favorite brunch spot in Hayes Valley. Over breakfast and mimosas, Steve convinced James to ditch a Richmond alumni event and hang out with him for the rest of the day instead. That afternoon, they realized their co-obsession with 80s-movie classics like Teen Witch and Ladybugs was more than a coincidence. First “I Love You” A month later, after a perfect day in Dolores Park, Steve couldn’t hold it back. He blabbered “I love you” at Q-Bar, a Castro dive, during happy hour. James smiled and said, “Me too.” They got Slurpees and Taquitos from 7-Eleven on the walk home, and talked about moving in together. First Big Move A year later, Steve got into Columbia’s OT program, so they made plans to move back East. They packed a minivan with everything they owned and drove cross-country to NYC. Countless life stories, off-key sing-alongs and near-death lane-changes later, they knew they were going to last forever. They settled in Hell's Kitchen with their BFF Michelle. First Step Towards “I do” A few years later, on Dec. 22, 2018, Steve planned a Christmas-time proposal at their annual roomie gift exchange. Michelle helped make it extra special, with heart-shaped pancakes and fancy champagne, and caught the whole thing on camera. The rest is history.