Finally saying "I do"

Alli's Perspective: It all started back when I was 8 years old at a Kids’ Night at the Iglesia ni Cristo chapel in Vallejo. Aaron was just “the cousin of a friend,” and while he might’ve noticed me hanging around with my own group, I was too shy to say much. That night didn’t lead to anything, but it’s funny to think about now—how that little interaction was the beginning of something so much bigger. Fast forward to 2011 at the Fanime Convention. I was 16, and somehow, our friends managed to get us talking again. I was having a rough time, and Aaron could tell. He took me out for boba, and I’ll never forget how kind and thoughtful he was. Later that night, he asked me to be his date to the Black and White Ball. We spent the evening dancing and talking, and I couldn’t help but smile every time he spoke with his little lisp. It was endearing, and I started to realize just how sweet and genuine he really was. From there, things just seemed to fall into place. Our bond grew stronger, and we went from childhood acquaintances to best friends to partners in life. Every step of the way, we’ve had each other’s backs, and now we’re getting married. I’m beyond grateful for all the people who have supported us along the way, and I can’t wait to see where this journey takes us—together. Aaron's perspective: Growing up, I was blessed to have several women figures in my life to look up to. I always thought to myself that I wanted to be with someone as kind and caring as all my aunties, and who is strong and passionate like my mother. I didn’t know it at the time, but as I got closer to and developed my relationship with Allison, I soon learned that I was blessed with someone that perfectly fit that description. Our first date during Fanime weekend was a magical experience, and was the beginning of our journey together. Taking Allison out for boba soon became a recurring event. We would often frequent the Quickly’s in Vallejo during our first few dates. As we grew closer and visited more places, we started to plan out our future and looked forward to new places to go to together. It feels as if the time we’ve spent together, as long as it was, seems to have gone by so fast. I cannot put into words how excited I feel about beginning this new chapter with Allison. Through all of our ups and downs, along with all of you who have been with us as our friends and family, we are both extremely grateful to be in this relationship with each other, and are looking forward to continuing our story.