We met on The League dating app, after Ben asked “free for dinner tonight?” We decided to meet in person for a first date over burgers at Gather, a cozy restaurant in Berkeley, on August 12, 2023. From the moment we sat down, it felt easy—like we’d known each other for much longer. Our connection grew stronger with every date, and by February 2024, we decided to take a big step forward together, moving into an apartment in downtown Oakland. Building a home together felt natural and exciting, and we loved creating a life that reflected our shared values and dreams. Kelsey is in food industry and a wall of her hundreds of cookbooks lining the living room was a non-negotiable. Kelsey’s mom, Judith, flew in from Minnesota to help with the buildout! Ben got to furnish the bedroom with silk carpets and artwork from living in India. Already a whirlwind romance, living together accelerated our connection and solidified our intention of becoming loving life partners. On December 31, 2024, during the magic of New Year’s Eve, we got engaged. Now, as we plan our nuptials and all that's yet to come, we are continuing to build our lives together with our shared values and dreams. We can’t wait to celebrate our journey with the people who mean the most to us and start this next chapter as partners for life!!!

We took this photo moments after Kelsey said yes! 👇