They say that love is found when you least expect it - and man o man Natalie and CJ never expected such a beautiful love story to evolve. It all started way back in 2010, Natalie’s senior year of high school when she began scouting musical talent. Upon discovery of her first Artist, his best friend (named CJ) came into the picture - many, many, years before our love story even begins. They kept in touch via social media and email throughout college when CJ often sent Natalie new music to listen to. As Natalie’s senior year at Northwestern rolled around, CJ sent a couple of his songs that Natalie proceeded to pitch and place into her parents’ film. She flew home for the red carpet premiere and low and behold reunited with CJ for the first time in 4 years (he was accompanied by his then girlfriend)! He expressed his deepest gratitude (as we all know CJ to do) for helping him place his first songs. They hugged and said their goodbyes.

After graduation, Natalie moved back home to LA from Chicago and within the first couple weeks of acclimating to life after college, CJ sent Natalie his newest songs. Natalie couldn’t believe her ears and decided to manage CJ and launch his Artist career. They quickly became best friends, spending hours on end working together, often discussing their respective relationship issues with one another! Natalie would even drive CJ to the train station each weekend to go visit his (new) girlfriend before going to visit her (then) boyfriend. As time went on, both CJ and Natalie gradually ended their relationships. Now both single, Natalie and CJ dove into their work and spent hours on end in the studio creating, dreaming, building and envisioning their future. They began dating other people even *swiping* for each other on their respective Tinder accounts (LOL)!

One evening, nearly 6 months after they began working with one another, Natalie showed up to the studio to find CJ with his guitar confessing his love for her by singing “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeren. It was a beautiful moment that you’d think would be the beginning of their relationship - but unfortunately this isn’t a Disney movie...yet.

Their now complicated romantic / working relationship made things quite confusing and Natalie’s confusion went on for another 6 months! It wasn’t until another man flew half-way across the world to see her that she realized she couldn’t live without CJ by her side. Natalie immediately told the other man that she was in love with someone else, jumped in her car, dropped off the world traveler at LAX, and drove straight to CJ’s apartment to confess her love for him. CJ’s response was simply, “I knew you’d be back,” and the rest is history!

4 years, 3 homes, 3 dogs and 1 cat later in June 2019, Natalie and CJ visited the Big Island of Hawaii for Natalie to finally meet his family and for CJ to work on his music in a Songwriting camp. The last night of their trip on June 27th, CJ led Natalie down to Hapuna Beach (his childhood beach) and recalled their long journey to love. He asked her to marry him and without a doubt in her soul, she said yes. Though their journey was unconventional, it made for the most special kind of love - the kind based on friendship, respect and 100% belief in one another’s dreams and aspirations.