We're getting married!

Our story began on Hinge - yes, the epitome of romance. 😉 Mike made the first move, sending Melanie a silly message about one of her prompts (if you know, you know). After a few exchanges, Mike smoothly asked for her number so they could "take things off the app." A couple days of texting later, he asked her out. On July 14th 2024, we met for our first date at Cutwater Tasting Room. Mike immediately won points by showing up with a bouquet of flowers, and what was supposed to be a simple date turned into a 6+ hour conversation that spilled over to a nearby brewery because neither of us could stop talking (what's new). During that very first date, we talked about family, our future, and even how many kids we hoped to have someday. What followed was a whirlwind of workout dates at the boxing gym, winery weekends, and countless conversations. We quickly bonded over our love for family and our shared dream of becoming parents. Along the way, we discovered our lives had been connected by an invisible thread for more than 20 years. We both grew up in Northern California - Mike in Antioch and Melanie in San Jose. Mike served in the Army and was deployed to Iraq at the same time as Melanie's brother, Clinton. We also both attended SDSU and overlapped there for three years without ever crossing paths. Our first year together moved quickly - in the very best way. In August 2025, Mike bought us our first home, which we quickly filled with love, laughter, and two very spoiled cats, Churro and Bruja. Mike fully embraced his role as the world's best cat dad, and our house truly became a home. Then, in March 2026, Mike proposed, and Melanie said yes! Today, we're excited to celebrate this next chapter surrounded by the people we love most. We look forward to a lifetime of happiness together, building a beautiful family, and welcoming as many children as we're blessed with along the way.