Michelle and Connor’s paths first crossed in the halls of Pacific Elementary School, where they shared classrooms and playgrounds from first grade through senior year at Mira Costa High School. They were more “friends of friends” than close companions, and neither could have guessed they would one day build a life together. College placed them on opposite sides of L.A.’s most famous rivalry: Michelle at UCLA, studying literature, history, and French as an Alpha Phi, and Connor at USC, where he joined Lambda Chi Alpha and captained the men’s volleyball team in lieu of studying. Michelle will always insist UCLA is the superior school—an opinion Connor graciously tolerates but never quite endorses. It wasn’t until after graduation, at a Hermosa Beach bar called Underground, that they truly reconnected. Walking home that night, they spotted a shooting star—proof, perhaps, that sometimes the universe nudges you back to where you started (or at least rewards you for making it past “last call” at the bar). Together, they navigated the first true steps of adulthood: Michelle began her first post-college job while Connor pursued a joint JD/MBA at Loyola Marymount University. Eventually, Michelle would enroll in LMU herself for her MBA. Between them, they now hold five degrees and, undoubtedly, would love to make a career out of being students if someone else was paying the tuition. Today, Michelle and Connor call Manhattan Beach home, where their two cats, Daisy and Pippa, rule the household with charm and mischief – sorry to those of you who have been huffily greeted by the adorably notorious “Hissy-Missies.” Life here feels like their own version of paradise: summer weekends on the sand, at Shellback, and celebrating the sacred holiday of 6-Man; autumn Saturdays split between Connor cheering on USC football and Michelle planning Friendsgiving; winter evenings enjoying their beautifully decorated Christmas tree and the holiday fireworks in downtown Manhattan Beach; and spring mornings walking the Strand and catching their breath before it all begins again. After seven years together, Connor proposed to Michelle on Valentine’s Day in Paris. Prior to their time in the City of Light, they spent a week in Scotland, chosen for their shared love of history, castles, and cozy pubs. The only trial came behind the wheel, with Connor navigating the “wrong” side of the road at what Michelle maintains was a very ambitious speed. (A marriage stress-test, passed with flying colors.) Scotland satisfied Connor’s love of Scottish whiskey and gin and Michelle’s longtime devotion to Outlander, while Paris provided the perfect backdrop for the next chapter. After wandering through cobblestone streets, indulging in far too many cafés au lait and croissants, and visiting the newly reopened and magnificently restored Notre-Dame Cathedral, Connor proposed on the banks of the Seine River as Notre-Dame’s five o’clock bells rang. Michelle could have gone for the French “oui” but it was such an easy decision that her answer was simply “yes.” It was as romantic—and unforgettable—as it sounds. With full hearts, Michelle and Connor look forward to beginning this next chapter surrounded by the family and friends who mean everything to them.