How We Met We met while working with at-risk youth—something that showed us early on how deeply we both care about helping others. A mutual co-worker played matchmaker, and thanks to a little behind-the-scenes scheming, we were nudged into each other’s orbit. Safe to say, it worked out pretty well! Our First Date Our first “date” was actually a double date—with that same co-worker and their friend! But what really stood out was later that night, sitting in his car for hours, just talking. We connected over our love for travel, music, dreams, and the deeper things that make life meaningful. Our first real date alone was to a sushi restaurant, where he brought me flowers, opened my door, and paid for dinner—the first time a man had done that for me. I knew right then that he was someone special. The Journey Since then, we’ve shared so many incredible adventures together—hiking, dinners out, movie nights, and spontaneous city and beach trips. We’ve made it a tradition to travel for our anniversaries, exploring places like San Francisco, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon, always finding new reasons to fall in love with the world—and each other. The Proposal What I thought was a birthday party for him turned out to be the most unforgettable surprise. He planned a masquerade party with our friends and family, secretly working with his closest friends and mine to make it perfect. When the time came, he gathered everyone for what I thought was a group photo—and then proposed to our favorite song. It was magical. Looking Ahead We are so excited to begin this next chapter together as husband and wife. We dream of starting a family, raising children, and experiencing all the beautiful things life has to offer—side by side. We’re partners in every sense: we laugh together, support one another, and face challenges with love and compassion. With an incredible support system around us and faith guiding us, we feel truly blessed to be uniting in marriage.