Matt and Sophie met in 2012 in rainy Seattle, WA while both working at Amazon. Matt was teaching a training to the incoming class of new recruits and claims to have fell in love at first sight when he saw Sophie in the audience. He later hosted a barbecue at his house in hopes that his fellow teammate would convince Sophie to come. Thankfully she did! While the group was huddled around a fire pit in the back yard, Matt asked Sophie to go on three dates with him starting with a Duck Tour of Seattle (as she was new to town). It was a bold ask, but three dates turned into over six years of dating, countless adventures, and an engagement while Sophie and Matt were in graduate school.

In addition to their mutual obsession with movie theater popcorn, one of the first things that Matt and Sophie connected about was their love of the beach. Both had grown up with families who ended the summer with an annual family vacation to a west coast beach town. The St Johns traveled to Neskowin on the Oregon coast. The Ashtons traveled to La Jolla, California. For both these trips were central to many of their favorite childhood memories. These summer adventures centered around time on the beach and being together as a family. When deciding where to get married - a location by the ocean was a clear top pick. La Jolla is a gorgeous enclave ins San Diego right on the water, and is the the backdrop of many of Sophie’s fondest memories. Looking forward to creating more memories together there in September!