All of the best stories about couples getting together always have a twist. The story of Gabriel and Miori meeting is no exception. Although we had seen each other at a run in late 2016, we didn’t technically meet until we casually (and ironically) met in 2017, at an anti-Valentine's Day event with a small group of friends. After that night of running & talking together, the conversation continued via text and we continued to get to know one another. Neither of us were looking for a relationship, but it was evident that we had a strong connection. We quickly bonded over our shared love of music, fitness, beer, and similar family values. It was easy to feel familiar around each other because the more we talked the more it felt like we had always known each other and the more it felt like we could be together.

That growing feeling of love and support for each other made the next step easy. The proposal happened during a private moment on Christmas morning in 2019. As we slowly told our friends and family, over the next few months, the next twist in our story happened, and it happened to everyone in the world! Everything came to grinding halt in March 2019 because of the pandemic. The conversation about wedding plans and our future together, had to be put on hold for a couple of years but we came to find that being a couple during the pandemic and spending all the time we got to be together at home was a blessing in disguise. The pause in our plans gave us time to continue to grow and blend our families and lives together and this ceremony and celebration will finally formalize our union so we can be the husband and wife we want to be for each other.