Jess and Russell met on the dating app Hinge. Russell responded to a picture of Jess, at what he assumed was the Kentucky Derby, and shot his shot... wide left: “Nope, Keeneland.” 0 for 1 with the wrong Kentucky based horse racing venue. Undeterred, their conversation progressed and Russell suggested a first date at The Snug, a then new cocktail bar in Fillmore, SF. Jess was game and it was set for Labor Day, Monday, September 3, 2018 at the Snug—The Snug was closed… 0 for 2. However, Jess, caught this before the date and Russell conjured up an alternative. Russell scheduled the first date at High Treason, a SF wine bar. Date #1: High Treason. Russell was obnoxiously early and nervous with sweaty palms and Jess was fashionably late. A few hours of wine, snacks, and effortless, authentic conversation getting to know one another that left both Jess and Russell eager and excited for date #2. Russell was flying overseas to London on Thursday that week, and was quick to schedule the second date for Wednesday before flying out in a conscious effort to show interest and keep momentum before being away for the next few weeks. Date #2 “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” they went to another wine bar, Wine Jar on Fillmore. The chemistry of date #1 picked up right where it left off, after a few glasses of wine into the date, a few puppies entered the bar and Jess and Russell found themselves sitting of the floor together, giggling and petting them. From the early days of their relationship, there was no doubt that Jess and Russell were really into each other. They both remember feeling a clear level of intent and proactive effort towards their emerging relationship, a theme that has been battle tested their relationship and emerged triumphantly through COVID, long distance between San Francisco and Bermuda, and brought them together north to Banff, Canada to be married.

Jess and Russell were doing long distance between San Francisco and Bermuda for 2.5 years with Russell’s time in Bermuda coming to an end in July. Russell was attending an “Italian Chic Riviera” themed Gala and was sad Jess wasn’t able to join, and suggested they recreate the theme for a beach dinner on her last visit out to Bermuda. Unbeknownst to her, this set the stage to ensure she would dress the part for their engagement at one of their favorite spots on the island, the pink sand beach at The Reefs Resort. But getting a ring fit for a proposal in Bermuda was no small task. It is a small, expensive place with limited selection, and traditional imports carry significant duty levies. Russell enlisted help from his mom to fly the ring over to Bermuda to ensure he could execute the proposal on the island. The ring was perfect, however, the ring box was the size of a baseball—too large to be incognito bulging out of the pocket for a surprise proposal. Russell fortunately had an alternative plan, on a Bermuda Day dive at the shipwreck of the Pelanion, he found the perfect “ring box” seashell for the proposal. The ring fit perfectly in the shell, and more importantly on Jess’s finger! To ensure Jess’s nails were locked in, Russell enlisted the help of friends out west before her trip for a “pre-move girls day” that included a pre-proposal manicure. (Thanks girlies!) Russell commissioned an engagement sandcastle build to help ask the big question: on one side, a horse and a heart in celebration of Jess’s lifetime of riding and their love, and on the second side of the sandcastle they would be approaching from, The Reefs insignia so as not to tip any suspicion. Russell hired a photographer to capture the proposal and help tee up the surprise. Her cue was to offer to take Jess and Russell’s picture once they approached the sandcastle and Russell made a comment on it. Taking her up on her offer, she then positioned Jess and Russell for pictures first from The Reefs side of the sandcastle, and then the horse side of it, to ensure Jess’s reaction was captured once she realized it was for their engagement! Despite ominous forecasts, the weather cooperated, all went according to plan, and Jess and Russell are happily engaged!

Neither Jess nor Russell are Canadian… so why Banff? They did their first big vacation together in January 2020 right before the start of COVID. What they thought would be a cozy winter trip, quickly became a scavenger hunt for high performance winter gear—arrival day coincided with a Polar Vortex in Banff with temps -28* F, and -50*F windchill. The Tahoe ski jackets weren’t going to cut it and it was cold enough that even the Canadians were concerned. The trip was action-packed with beautiful excursions: dogsledding, curling, romantic ice sculptures, natural hot springs, sleigh rides, ice skating, snow shoeing, the spa, and winter hiking. Jess and Russell fell in love with Canadian fondue at Waldhaus and drank fancy champagne atop the Banff Gondola. On early career incomes, they stayed in more modest accommodations for the front half of the their trip but booked “The Fairmont” as a back-half splurge. Not knowing there were two Fairmont Hotels in the region, they thought they were booked at the “Fairmont Lake Louise” when it turns out they had booked the “Fairmont Banff Springs.” Upon discovering so, they were sad because they thought they were going to be on the lake, they had no idea how wonderful of a time they were in for with this happy little accident that leading them to discover of their eventual wedding venue at the historic castle in the Rockies!