Neither Katie nor Shasta were looking for a relationship when their mutual best friend, and Matron of Honor—MacKenzie, introduced them one night in March 2018 at a trivia bar in Westwood. Shasta had just lost his dad and was doing his best to finish college, so when Katie invited him to a handful of events that spring (her birthday party, a Cinco de Mayo tamale-making night, and Avengers: Infinity War) it brought much needed light and laughter into his world. Katie was immediately drawn to Shasta’s warmth, humor, and quick smile (and thought he was cute as hell). After a few more group hangouts, they decided to go on their official first date. The catch? They lived three and a half hours apart. Their solution was bold and a little impulsive—meeting halfway for a camping trip in Big Sur. That weekend was pure magic: drives along Highway 1 with music blasting, sunsets over the Pacific, and late-night card games by lantern light. Everything was perfect—until Katie accidentally locked her keys in the trunk of her old tank of a car. AAA wouldn’t come up the dirt road, so Shasta took off work the next day to drive her to the Bay Area for her spare keys then back to Big Sur. What could have been a disaster turned into one of their favorite stories—a glimpse of how naturally they could laugh, problem-solve, and roll with life together. From that point on, they were inseparable-traveling between the Bay, Santa Monica, Big Sur, and later talking every day across 6,000 miles while Katie backpacked through Europe. While it began with trivia night, tamales, and a locked trunk, it has grown into a life full of laughter, adventure, and love.