Marissa and Mateo met at the start of their sophomore year of high school. They noticed each other in the hallways almost immediately, with quick glances, shy smiles, and a little bit of wondering. Mateo would always look away just as Marissa smiled, leaving her unsure if he even noticed. Eventually, Marissa mentioned it to a mutual friend, curious if Mateo felt the same way. Instead of answering, the friend passed along her phone number. When Mateo reached out, he admitted he hadn’t realized she was trying to get his attention, and they both found it pretty funny. A couple of weeks later, Mateo walked Marissa home from school and asked her to be his girlfriend. She said yes, and what started as a high school relationship naturally grew into something much deeper. Nearly ten years later, they’re still choosing each other every day and are excited to begin their next chapter together on October 24, 2026.

Marissa and Mateo’s proposal took place during a magical trip to Mackinac Island. Mateo had a special surprise planned, telling Marissa that he had hired a photographer to capture some beautiful moments of their getaway. Excited, they quickly ate breakfast at their resort, got ready, and biked to the other side of the island, heading towards a picturesque spot known as the Secret Garden. When they arrived, the photographer greeted them and guided them through some poses. At one point, she asked them to turn around and look off into the distance. As Marissa turned back around, she found Mateo down on one knee, holding a ring. In the middle of this fairytale-like setting, with the flowers blooming all around them, he asked her to marry him. She said yes with the biggest smile, and the moment felt like it was straight out of a storybook.