Erin and Jason first crossed paths on the Cal Poly Pier, where Jason was working. Erin was changing a tire on a research boat trailer—focused, capable, and completely unaware she was about to meet the love of her life. Jason couldn’t help but walk over and give her a concerned (and slightly over-the-top) safety lecture. Erin was instantly intrigued. Jason, on the other hand, took his time – ten months, to be exact. It wasn’t until a debate over whether a fish was a Cabezon or a Lingcod that something shifted. When he finally asked her out, everything clicked. The science, the sarcasm, the spark—it all just worked. And from that moment on, they went from debating fish IDs to planning a future together.

As the gondola swayed over a tower on its way from Canyon Lodge to the Village at Mammoth, it gave a little rock—and so did Jason. He lost his balance and fell... right to one knee. Erin, caught up in the stunning mountain views, didn’t quite realize what was happening until she saw Jason reach into his ski jacket and pull out a small, red box he’d been carrying all day. Before he could even finish asking her to marry him, Erin was already saying "yes".