After swiping right on Bumble in the middle of a pandemic (because what else were we doing?), Jennifer and João went on their first date in November 2020 - which, in hindsight, was the only good thing that year had going for it. Jennifer loves to joke that they never would have crossed paths in the wild. A businesswoman and a scientist, yet the algorithm clearly knew something they didn't. From the very first date, it was obvious they had more in common than their spreadsheets and proteins would suggest. They both love God deeply, are fiercely devoted to their families, and share the same core convictions about life and what matters most. João was quietly fascinated to learn that Jennifer worked in a biology lab in college and - oh - also spoke Russian. He was convinced early on that she was one of the most complex people he'd ever met. She was happy to let him think that. Jennifer was won over by something subtler: despite being the world's most inconsistent texter, João's friends seek him out and cherish him deeply. A man who earns that kind of loyalty without trying - or apparently, without responding - is someone worth paying attention to. The "more than a crush" moment? Christmas gifts, which included a custom science experiment João designed for her sister. He had known Jennifer exactly 7 weeks. Jennifer didn't stand a chance. João's moment of clarity came when Jennifer went to Texas for 2 weeks and he realized he missed her. He called his mother and said he had found someone he intentionally wanted to pursue. When it was time to propose, he took her to Rome, walked her 26k steps around the city, and got down on one knee near Vatican City. It was cinematic. It was perfect. Jennifer said yes - tired feet and all.