The Cardoza love story is no ordinary tale. On her 36th birthday, Katherine Swick’s friend Sophie urged her to try online dating. Another friend, Jordan, declared, “All the serious ones are on Match.com.” That was all Katherine’s mom, Sandra, needed to hear. “I’ll invest in your future!” she said, handing over her CC for that membership. Within days, Katherine had seven dates lined up. But with family in town, she scaled back to just one—chosen purely because José Cardoza lived closest. Praise God for LA traffic. The other six men? Never heard from again. José suggested a FaceTime the night before their date. To make sure he wasn’t being “Katfished.” The call lasted an hour. Katherine’s dad Randy, visiting from out of state and waiting for help with house projects, finally stepped outside and unknowingly caught a peek at his future son-in-law. It wasn’t just proximity that won Katherine over. It was José’s kind eyes and clever opening line. When setting up her profile, her friend Avary insisted she include the photo of Katherine joyfully leaping inside Disney World’s Castle. “It shows your essence,” Avary insisted. Profile posted. Match made. José’s first message: “Do you sell framed autographed prints of photo #3?” Katherine: “You mean #4? (She was painting a mural in that one.) José: “No, #3. The one where you’re leaping.” He sensed the essence. Katherine had a rule, auto swipe left on lazy profiles. José’s was nearly blank. Still, she thought, “He’s lucky he’s funny and has those kind eyes, because this profile stinks.” He asked her out. She said yes. He offered a ride if she felt safe. She chose to walk. She was late, so late, she started jogging. He was early and decided to stroll around the block. Fate placed him right behind her as she hurried along. (Unknowingly getting a glance at his always “running late” future.) He approached in a monochrome outfit, playing it safe. Katherine spotted him and thought, “Oh no, I hate this part.” (She’s never thought it again. She now insists that had he worn the floral matching set hiding in his closet, she would’ve known instantly he was The One.) Over dinner she kept catching him staring. “What?!” she’d laugh. “You’re just so beautiful,” he’d reply. (*swoon*) Six hours, two locations, and countless laughs later, it was time to go. Knowing she’d walked, José offered to drive her home. She accepted. In the car he learned she also drove stick shift. But did she really? This is LA. At her house, he peered into little Fifi the Fiat to confirm the manual transmission. “Wow,” he said. “That’s sexy.” In a city of automatics, he’d found his match, literally and figuratively. The next day Katherine called her sister and brother-in-law saying, “I could see myself marrying him.” And she is. The future Mr. & Mrs. Cardoza can’t wait to add more memories to their love story as they celebrate their upcoming nuptials with you in June!