It wouldn't really be right to say they had both been unlucky in love before...because while it seemed unlucky at the time, it was the stars aligning to lead them together in the right time. Despite wanting to meet someone organically or through match-ups and refusing for the longest time to even try online dating, Marlaina very reluctantly and very cautiously downloaded her first online dating app in September 2023 - she figured she'd start with one and see how it went. Within a month, Wes saw her profile on Hinge and sent her picture a "like". Marlaina reviewed, and in scrolling through his profile, he seemed to tick all of her non-negotiable boxes- and then she saw the picture of him holding a birthday cookie cake and had to send him a message: "It's the cookie cake for me. I always get a cookie cake on my birthday." They had their first date at Gather Café the next week in Chesapeake during Marlaina's lunch break from work...she was trying to play it safe and wouldn't give Wes her phone number until they met in person (ya know, just in case he was a psycho or a robot). Picking up that he was a Chatty Cathy through their messages on the app, Marlaina started work an hour early that day so she'd have extra time in case the date went well. They hit it off and needed every extra minute of that date - and they've been together ever since. Now they are looking forward to a very special date...10/4/25 :) The wedding date is a special nod to Wes' profession in the police department - 10-4. #ToHabAndToHold