Our story began in 2013, on the very first day of high school. The moment Joey saw Marika, he had a crush. We ended up in the same class, Honors Spanish 1, and for an icebreaker activity, we were asked to introduce ourselves to three classmates. Guess whose name was first in Marika’s notebook? That’s right, Joey! A few weeks later, Joey asked Marika to homecoming, and she said yes. Afterward she texted him to say she’d rather go as part of a group. That made Joey sad, but he didn’t give up. Just a few weeks after that, something shifted. On Halloween night, we held hands for the first time. That same evening, Joey asked Marika out again, and this time, she said yes for real.
Like most teenage romances, our high school relationship was sweet, awkward, and full of learning. We went to school dances, spent time with our shared group of friends, and went on countless cute dates. Our go-to date was dinner at The New Yorker and a movie in downtown Petaluma.
In 2017, we both started a new chapter at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. Partway through freshman year, we made the difficult decision to end our relationship and go our separate ways.
Even after the breakup, we stayed in touch, checking in every once in a while. Then, on February 13, 2020, Joey sent Marika a text asking if she wanted to get dinner the next night. For anyone who is not a 20-year-old boy, inviting your ex to dinner on Valentine’s Day is very nerve-wracking. Over dinner, we caught up on life and how much we had grown. Joey asked to see Marika again that weekend, and during that time, we had an honest conversation about giving our relationship another shot. And we did. We navigated long-distance during COVID, supported each other through the end of college, and eventually moved in together. Our little family now includes our beautiful cats, Miso and Mochi.
In June 2024, after Marika earned her master’s degree, we flew to Denver to celebrate with her family. During one of the dinners that weekend, while Marika briefly stepped away, Joey told her family he planned to propose the following week. He had been holding onto the ring since February, so it was time. The next week, Joey took Marika out to a celebratory dinner in San Jose, under the guise of honoring her graduation. After dinner, he suggested a walk through the rose garden to watch the sunset. Marika was skeptical, since, let’s be honest, it is not exactly the best sunset spot, but she went along with it. As we strolled through the garden, Joey led Marika to a beautiful archway, got down on one knee, and asked her to marry him.
We are so excited to celebrate this next chapter with all of you. Get ready for an unforgettable night of love, laughter, food, and dancing.