Our love story begins as many modern romances do... It all started with a mutual swipe to the right. And it wasn't just any old match either, as David decided to shoot his shot with a "super like" (Let this be a lesson to you, sometimes things really DO work out!) We found our initial conversation flowed easily as we shared many mutual interests and quickly scheduled a date to meet in person. One interest in particular that the two of us shared was a love of live music, especially EDM. For our first date we agreed to meet up to see Midnight Tyrannosaurus, a dubstep artist, at the Roseland Theater in Portland, Oregon. If you don't know Midnight T already, imagine the loudest clanging robot sounds you've ever heard and now play them on repeat for three hours over a rowdy dance beat. Since we could really only shout at one another over the music, it's safe to say that our opening conversation was limited but nevertheless we spent the entire night smiling, laughing, exchanging goofy bass faces and dancing together as sparks begin to fly around us. The music itself was ultimately nothing special, but the initial connection we formed that evening was truly unforgettable and the heart of everything we've been so lucky to build together for the last five years. We haven't stopped laughing or dancing since that day and hope to carry that lighthearted joy with us always. Thanks Tinder, we owe ya one!

Fast forward four years... At Christmastime, Chelsey's family decided to surprise her Nana with a once in a lifetime family vacation to Hawaii. The trip was planned for July, 2023 and the entire family would be there. A seed was planted in David's brain and the wheels were in motion, he thought this would be the PERFECT time to make his big move! So right around the time of his 30th birthday in April, David went to the jewelers and picked out the perfect ring, keeping his special surprise well hidden until the big reveal. We arrived in O'ahu, Hawaii and had a sunrise hike at Crouching Lion trail scheduled for our first morning on the island. We awoke before the sun and got into the car at 5:00 am, eager to get started with enough time to catch the sunrise from the top. We arrived at the trailhead in the deep dark of the early morning and being the tourists we are, struggled to find the start of the actual trail as it wasn't well marked. We tromped through Hawaiian jungle, fear beginning to set in that we wouldn't be able to proceed with our adventure as planned but were relieved when a friendly hiker man popped out from the trees and guided us back to the trail. Chelsey thought nothing of it other than "wow, what great luck this guy was also out here!" but only David secretly knew that our run in was no accident as this man was tasked out here for a very special reason. The hike itself actually turned out to be quite strenuous, complicated further by the fact that we were out there in the dark with limited gear and by the end of the hike this was enough to banish any sneaking suspicions that Chelsey had about the true nature of this expedition. Still, we both vividly remember just being awestruck by how still and serene it was to be out there among the trees, taking in the sounds of the island waking up around us. The landscape was obscured until the final ascent as we climbed basically straight up for the last quarter mile but opened up to the most stunning 360 view of the Pacific Ocean and the lush mountainside of the Jurassic Valley. We stepped out onto the tabletop of rock with the sun still obscured at the edge of the world and paused, taking it all in. After a few breaths, David called Chelsey's name and she turned to see him down on one knee beside her where he asked the question that made time stop in its tracks for a moment. The answer was, of course, a resounding yes and as we embraced then turned to face the ocean, we caught the very first golden rays of light as the sun peeked over the ocean— we would call this moment magnificent, but somehow even that feels like an understatement. Chelsey glanced over her shoulder to see the friendly hiker man, now turned photographer, with a camera capturing our engagement and realized that our meeting was never just a divine accident. And to this note, maybe none of the events that led us to finding each other ever were. Here's to forever and ever, spent by the side of your best friend. Cheers!