In November 2020, Covid-19 had ravaged the world, and everyone was about to enter their first holiday season of lockdown and Covid precautions. If this seems like the perfect time to start dating someone on the internet, well, Maddy and Gene say you'd be right. The pair met on Hinge, which isn't uncommon these days. What did feel uncommon from the start was how compatible they were in each topic they discussed - money, family, career, longterm goals and lifestyle. You name it, they covered it, and even big subjects like having kids, moving for work, and how to deal with finances, were brought up in the first week or two. Both felt it was important to suss out any "red flags" early on, and in fact, both continued to try and reveal any potential disputes and were amazed (and a little nervous) when none could be found. This trend continued right on to their first date. Two weeks after they "matched", they met for the first time outside a Starbucks and proceeded to talk for over four hours until the sun went down. The next two dates quickly continued the same way, and the conversations only stopped when Maddy had to go home and take Fresca (her dog) out for a walk after 8 hours. Though Maddy had spent the better part of the pandemic planning her single life on a someday-ranch full of adopted dogs, and Gene had spent several years becoming accustomed and happy with joining his friends for holidays and birthdays without a partner of his own, it seemed like neither one's "plan" had anticipated this. Things progressed relatively quickly after that. The pair made things "official" in January 2021, and de-facto moved in together in summer 2021. When Maddy changed jobs and had to go back to work in-person, Gene became the full-time Fresca watcher and bonded with the fur-kid. Fresca still snuggles so close to Gene sometimes that he only has 1/4 of the bed, but he takes it all as a positive sign. Gene and Maddy moved in together "for real" to their first apartment in January 2022, and planned a series of visits to meet family and friends they had not been able to meet during the height of the pandemic, with many friends on both sides living outside California. These trips only solidified that the pair were well-suited - they say to really know someone you should travel with them, and each excursion ended in Gene and Maddy wishing they could plan their next destination immediately. In October 2022, Gene picked up a long-planned shiny object from a jewelry store, waited approximately 14 hours until the couple were walking Fresca around their neighborhood park after their morning coffee run, and got down on one knee. It should be noted that at the time of Gene's proposal, Maddy was wearing sweatpants and holding a Starbucks cup, which was somehow a perfect representation of their life together: simple, caffeinated, and full of everyday love. Maddy always said she didn't want a grand proposal, she just wanted something true to their lives together, and this fit the bill perfectly. Later that day, Maddy executed her own return proposal, giving Gene a photo album of their nearly-two-years together and a Christmas tree ornament shaped like a ring box saying "he said yes!" Since then, celebrations abound. {We're so excited to share our wedding day with you and give all our loved ones time to get to know one another. Please see the events page for a preview of the wedding weekend plans and let us know if you have any questions. Cheers, and see you soon!}