I’m sure the founders of Bumble had the best intentions of having the women send the first message after matching with a potential suitor. In my experience on the app, some women were just as awkward, uncreative and drab as most men are. For me, it was just a sea of “hey”, “what’s up?”, “How’s it going?”. These questions didn’t really open the door for a meaningful connection, that is, until I got the following message from Jess Kulwin, in early June of 2022; “What’s your favorite roadtrip song?” *chef’s kiss* Perfection. What music do you like? What kind of vibe do you bring to a roadtrip? Where do you like to travel? All of these wrapped up into one singular terrific opening question that probes for a meaningful connection. I was so enamored to keep the conversation going. After a short while of exchanging our favorite roadtrip songs, Jess asked ME to dinner the following week. Who was this phenomenon, breaking all the normal online dating conventions? We went on our first date, where we both barely ate any food, and I ran into a dozen or so people because I am the unofficial mayor of Encinitas. I was dumbfounded by not only her beauty, but her kindness and care. Her charm was infectious and I knew she was something special. We went on another date a few days later, a hike around San Elijo lagoon, where I met the second love of my life, our pup, Maggie. As we progressed in our early days of dating, two things came abundantly clear about our relationship; we were always bringing our most authentic selves together with each passing day, and we both surrounded ourselves with loving friends and family that we held near and dear to our hearts. I met some of Jess’s closest friends on her 30th birthday who were kind beyond words. They welcomed me into their tight knit group. Each person spoke so highly of the quality human Jess is. Soon after, I one-upped Jess by inviting her to my 30th birthday. At the party, she met my parents, brother, sister-in-law, close friends from high school and all my friends from Encinitas and more! It was a lot, but being the gem she is, Jess greeted everyone with a huge smile and open heart as she always does. It wasn’t long before I was head over heels in love with Jess. I would tell my friends, “oh dude, she’s the one”. I said this alllll the time. How could I not? We shared a love things that filled our cup; road trips up the coast, long beach days of surfing and relaxing, sharing a quiet night in, listening to records, getting up early for a hike or just walking our sweet Maggie girl in the park. After a while, we grew closer to not only each other, but to our respective family’s. I quickly saw how Audrey and Al’s endless selflessness and care for others was deeply instilled into Jess’s core values. It didn’t take long to feel like I was a part of their incredible family after a few trips to Tucson for the holidays. I also have come to know one simple truth, bestowed upon me by Big Al; U of A is the greatest school of all time! BEAR DOWN! And now, after almost 3 years of spending our lives together, there’s no person on this planet I’d rather spend the rest of my life with. Throughout that time we’ve road-tripped, globe trotted to Portugal, gotten sick beyond measure, built a shed, went on a million walks with Maggie to the park, cooked a bajillion meals, laughed at The Bachelor, cried (mostly me, I cry a lot) at many a movie, made long lasting memories with our dearest friends, and most of all, grown as individuals. How could I not put a ring on that finger? So I did. At the lovely Stone House hike in Tucson, just a stones throw from the Kulwin’s home. We’re so excited to take this journey together and share our wedding celebration with you all!