Just married!

We met at Barry's (Bootcamp) in Venice, CA in the Spring of 2017, and went on our first date August 24th of that year at Tallula's in the Palisades (now closed). In between our first and second date in March of 2021, we matched on three different dating apps. Within a month of that second date, we started planning our first getaways together - Palm Springs for Joel's birthday, then Seattle in the summer. And so, the invisible string theory was proven real - we were both in the right place in our lives and ready to be together. In that first year, we experienced some wonderful highs and unexpected lows, including the loss of Joel's beloved dog Sofi Grace, who we miss everyday. After a year of dating across town, Joel in Santa Monica and Pete in West Hollywood, we moved into together in a charming townhouse in a quiet pocket of Northeast Santa Monica. The following Spring of 2023, we welcomed an 8 week old puppy, Tobi the Westie, into our lives. A welcome disruption, depending on which day you ask us. Fast forward to the engagement. In the fall of 2023, while Joel was at his best friend Melissa's wedding in Las Vegas, he decided he wanted to propose. He had already purchased tickets to Kylie Minogue's show at the Voltaire in Las Vegas, and now his plans for the most epic surprise were beginning to take shape. Over the course of two months, he coordinated a masterful surprise for Pete, who had absolutely no idea what was happening (kudos, Joel). The day of the proposal he finalized preparations - including the exact moment during her set he wanted to propose. And so, on the night of January 21st, 2024, just as Kylie was about to cover Elvis's "Can't Help Falling in Love," with a tap on the shoulder and on bended knee, Joel proposed to Pete (he said yes, obviously), then Kylie surprised us with her blessing during the last part of the set. Collective joy ensued, as we were showered with congratulations from fellow Kylie Minogue fans - it was a truly incredible showing of love from people we had never met before. Given how special and intimate that experience was for both of us, we made the decision to elope to the Santa Barbara courthouse - just the two of us and a photographer who will be our witness...since Tobi the Westie isn't quite ready for that role ;) Thank you for reading our story and for celebrating us. We love you.