It all started with a swipe on Hinge—but it quickly turned into something more. Regan had just moved to Seattle for her first job after college. Jordan had just returned from backpacking through Southeast Asia. Our first date was in Edmonds, WA. It was one of the hottest summer days, Regan’s A/C had died, and she was driving up from Olympia trying not to sweat off her makeup. Jordan spotted a blonde girl sprinting across the street and thought, “Wow, she’s cute.” That was Regan. Over dinner, we bonded over travel and discovered we were both planning trips to Southeast Asia—at the same time. A few months after meeting, it came time to actually book our tickets. Even though we had only known each other a couple of months, we figured—why not plan them together? So we did. Six months after meeting, we packed our bags and took off—starting in Ecuador. Before we left, Regan’s family joked she’d come back heartbroken or engaged. Turns out… they weren’t far off.

We started our trip with 20 days in Ecuador. Regan met Jordan’s family, and we road-tripped with his closest friends to Montañita, Baños, Cuenca, and Quito. During that trip, Regan lost her Grammy. We flew back to be with family. Originally, we were headed to Vietnam next—but on when it came time, Regan begged Jordan one last time to reroute the trip, so we booked tickets to Thailand. Regan had always dreamed of going, especially to see the elephants. When we got home, a late birthday gift from her Grammy had arrived: a small elephant figurine with a handwritten note. A quiet little sign we were right where we were supposed to be.

After just over a week, our adventure took an unexpected turn when COVID-19 hit. We found ourselves in lockdown for over a month on the island of Koh Samui—stuck in a beachfront resort with a small group of travelers from around the world. It turned into one of the most magical times of our lives. We became a little community, exploring the island on motorbikes, eating at our favorite roadside food stalls every day—where the locals knew us by name and expected us daily to eat—and finding creative ways to enjoy lockdown life, despite the strict curfews and laws. Our lockdown experience was completely different than everyone in our lives. Eventually, we were able to leave the island and began island-hopping with our new friends—starting with Koh Phangan, then Koh Tao, where we enrolled into dive school and got our open water dive certifications. From there, we moved to Khao Lak on the south of the main land- where we started our group road trip from the south of Thailand to Bangkok, and then to the north. We had initially said we wouldn’t visit Bangkok on our trip—but the pandemic changed everything. With no tourists except those who couldn’t leave, we got to experience a side of Thailand that few people ever will again. Locals told us it hadn’t been that quiet since the 1970s. We visited famous landmarks, national parks, and temples—and there was no one. After that, we continued our journey north to Chiang Rai, where we explored incredible temples, then to Chiang Mai- one of our favorite places. One of the coolest experiences of our entire trip was volunteering at Elephant Nature Park, the most ethical elephant sanctuary in Thailand. Instead of just visiting, we decided to spend a full week volunteering—alongside our group of friends—helping rescued elephants, dogs, cats, cows, and more. We scooped poop, chopped food, walked disabled dogs, and fed animals. To celebrate our one-year anniversary, Jordan planned a surprise dinner. Regan wasn’t allowed to know where they were going—just that there was a dress code. After months of beach life and living out of a small bag, we didn't have anything so we had to go shopping. We ended up at Sky Bar at Lebua, featured in The Hangover Part II. The views were insane. The five-course meal, cocktails, and surprise dessert made it one of the most magical nights of our lives.

After four months abroad, we returned to Lynnwood, WA. A few months later, we took a quick trip to San Diego—and something clicked. Regan felt like it could be our future home. Shortly after that, Jordan proposed at Lost Lake—a place especially meaningful to Regan, who spent summers there with her family. What she didn’t know was that a month earlier, in Vegas, Jordan had asked every single member of her family—her parents and siblings—for their blessing. They were all in on it.

Two months later, we packed up and moved. What was meant to be a one-year plan turned into a life we love. From beach walks, morning coffee trips, exploring the incredible food scene, to trips over the border to supporting each other through it all. And we always welcome visitors!!

Jordan used to ask, “What are the odds that a boy from Ecuador and a girl from a small U.S. town would meet?” Regan had dreams for years of traveling with someone she couldn’t quite picture—until Jordan showed up wearing the exact outfit she saw in those dreams. We later realized we were both at the same Tacoma Dome concert, and likely at the same college parties years before we met. We even downloaded Hinge at the same time after hearing it “had better people.” Jordan was Regan’s first—and only—Hinge date. It’s often referred to as the Invisible String Theory—the idea that the universe is quietly pulling two people toward each other, through near-misses, strange timing, and small signs that only reveal their meaning later. A thread connecting two lives long before they ever truly meet.

Lost Lake is the perfect place for us to celebrate our love with the people closest to us, to share the good vibes, and to bring together our families and two cultures. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!