It was the night of the Christmas Parade. Claire was participating with her dance studio and Marcus was there to hang out with his buddy, Jason. Marcus and Claire had spoken briefly before that day, but little did they know what would happen later. They eventually crossed paths, but were too nervous to say a word to each other. Eventually, Claire made the first move by reaching out via Facebook, and they spent the rest of the night talking, laughing, and getting to know each other. Later that month, Marcus knew that he was smitten with Claire, but to take her on a first date, he had to meet with Susan and Mark. Scared yet determined, he met with them, and at last, they went on their first date on New Year's Eve, where Marcus gained the courage to ask Claire to be his girlfriend. Their relationship blossomed, and they soon learned how much they had in common with their individual passions for creativity, Disney, and their mutual love of San Francisco, where they would eventually move in together. Soon they had established themselves and began their little family with the addition of their beloved cat, Bitty. As the years continued, Marcus and Claire worked together, motivating each other to grow in their roles as creatives - Claire as a professional dancer and Marcus as a graphic designer for a well-known tech company. Their story doesn't end here but has only just begun...

10 years later… Marcus and Claire had planned to celebrate their anniversary in Monterey doing what they loved most— antiquing and eating seafood! However, Marcus had other plans. The entire month of December, he and an incredible team of helpers created an elaborate plan. He was going to propose! After having kept the ring hidden from Claire for over 2 years, it was time. He was a nervous wreck the entire day (more or less the whole month too!) and Claire noticed being the sneaky self that she was. It wasn’t until they got to the beach that he took her hand, shaking and led her to the set-up. A little blanket, a wicker basket with snacks and drinks, and a sweet note with a photo of them that read: “To my love, some of my best memories with you involve these treats and I would love to continue creating those moments with you for the rest of my life.” He got down on one knee and the rest is history! We can’t wait to celebrate with everyone in the beautiful redwoods!