We're getting married!

Our story began in 2018, but it wasn’t until the summer of 2019 that V decided to casually shoot his shot at a Cubs game. I was recording the game when he leaned over and said, “Maria, you look really cute in that picture.” A few months later, in a spontaneous moment, I asked him to join me for a weekend trip to Nashville. Clearly, I hadn’t listened to enough crime podcasts at that point—who just invites someone on a road trip? But V agreed, and we decided to keep the trip a secret. We had the best time on Broadway and even went horseback riding. Talk about going all out on the first date! When the trip came to an end, I was pretty sad. Lucky for V, I became his personal chauffeur for the seven-hour drive back home. Let’s just pretend he wasn’t snoring in the passenger seat the entire way. That same week, V was nervous about asking me on another date, but when he did, he promised it would be a surprise. One of my close friends was headed to New Orleans, and I couldn’t join her, so V took me to a New Orleans-inspired restaurant and then to a comedy show. He definitely knew how to make up for missing out! Before things became official, we decided we needed one more adventure—a trip to San Francisco. We explored the city, visited Sonoma with his cousin, and during that trip, something unexpected happened. While walking by the Ferry trail, a shop was selling fresh pearls. I wanted one, so we opened it up together, and suddenly, the salesperson started showing me ring settings. Of course, I loved the idea of a pearl ring. Poor V—the lady knew exactly what she was doing, and by the end of it, he bought me a not-so-affordable pearl ring. That same night, V finally asked me to be his girlfriend, and the rest is history. The past five years have been the best of our lives, and we can’t wait for what’s to come. We’re so excited to celebrate this special moment with our favorite people!