It wasn't during our first communion classes at St. Gregory's. It wasn't during our confirmation classes at St. Gregory's either. It wasn't until we were 20, when Vanessa's friend, Maddie, and Nick's friend, Daniel, started dating each other and thought we need to be reintroduced Knowing that we both love the SF Giants, they decided to get some friends together to go to the game - the perfect icebreaker! On April 23, 2013, Nick took the train to the game with his friends, Daniel and Tyler, while Vanessa went with Maddie after her softball game at De Anza College. The boys met the girls across the street from the stadium. Nick knew Maddie from elementary school and Vanessa and Nick knew who each other from St. Greg's, so there wasn't a feeling of meeting total strangers. After talking all game long, while watching the Giants lose, it was time to take the train home. When we finally arrived at the Hillsdale train station, Vanessa woke up her mom, Monica, to pick her and Maddie up. Nick was waiting for the girls to be picked up before his short trip back home. Vanessa had a bright idea that because her mom was unhappy about picking up the girls at midnight on a work night, Nick should get a ride home with them. After refusing time and time again, Monica finally told Nick in her "mom voice" to get in the car, she will take him home safely. Monica was less than thrilled that the girls were a little bit under the influence, and with Nick in the front seat, she was not afraid to lecture the girls right then and there, making Vanessa worried she wouldn't hear back from Nick ever again. Nick didn't mind, and three days later, Vanessa, Maddie, Daniel, and Nick went to a country concert together on a double date. It was at that concert that Nick knew he couldn't find anybody more perfect for him than Vanessa.

The original plan was to go on a weekend trip to Sonoma in early May, where Nick's family has a home, however, wineries, restaurants, and parks were all closed, thanks COVID. After 4 more weeks of waiting and trying to plan the perfect engagement, Nick was at his parents house trying to think of new locations to propose because Sonoma wasn't looking like it was opening up anytime soon. Suddenly Nick thought of The Ritz Carlton Golf Course and Hotel in Half Moon Bay, CA. The next day, Nick took a quick drive to scout the location and check different viewpoints of where the best place would be overlooking both the golf course and the ocean. After deciding that was the place, it was time to figure out how to get her there. Nick told Vanessa that he was going to be golfing with his dad (Ed) , her dad (Steve), and his brother-in-law (Tyler) at the Ritz on a Saturday morning, and Nick's sister (Jen) texted Vanessa saying they should crash our day, and we could do an outdoor brunch at the golf course restaurant that had recently reopened. So, the plan was set. Vanessa had no idea that Nick was actually going to be proposing on a grass field overlooking the ocean, and that there was actually no brunch plan at all. When Vanessa walked up to the location where Nick was going to propose, Jen said that we should take some pictures while we wait for our table to be ready. At that time, Nick turned to Vanessa and grabbed each of her hands and took a knee. After she said yes, Vanessa's and Nick's families celebrated with some champagne around a fire pit at the golf course then went to Nick's parents house in San Mateo to continue celebrating.