Like many millennial couples, our love story began online—Match.com, to be exact. In 2016, Katie had just wrapped up her first year of graduate school in Santa Clarita, CA, while Justin was working as a welder for Union Pacific Railroad near Riverside, CA. Without Match, our paths never would have crossed. Funny enough, they almost didn’t there either. Katie set her search radius to 90 miles, thinking 90-mile drive didn’t seem so daunting in South Carolina...but in Southern California...90 miles is a whole different story. Justin matched with Katie, and it all started with a simple “Hey.” Just one word—and yet, we haven’t stopped talking since that first message on July 12, 2016. After a month of chatting, they finally met in person. Guisados Mexican Restaurant, followed by a Dodgers vs. Pirates game at Dodger Stadium, complete with a Friday Night Fireworks show. That date marked the beginning of their shared love for the Dodgers. Their second date was supposed to be “Sunset Sunday” at Justin’s favorite spot, Santa Monica. But on that scorching 100+ degree day, fires caused a power outage in Santa Clarita. Katie couldn’t leave without her dog, Fitz. When she called to cancel, Justin’s response was simple: “Bring him.” So, Katie and Fitz made their way to Santa Monica, where Fitz immediately jumped into Justin’s car as if they were old friends. Whether it was Justin’s charm or the bag of chicken jerky he had for Fitz, we’ll never know—but Fitz’s seal of approval was all Katie needed. Justin often drove hours to spend time with Katie and Fitz, whether for dinner or a quick trip to the dog park. They became season passholders at Disneyland, taking advantage of their days off at the park. Most Sundays, they could be found riding bikes in Santa Monica, enjoying the sunset. Justin liked sharing parts of California he knew well with Katie. Their relationship strengthened through these simple, shared moments. After Katie graduated, she landed a job in Greensboro, NC. With just two years of dating under their belts, they made the difficult decision to go long-distance. They planned to reassess in a year, but Katie’s career took off with a major promotion in late 2019. She promised to give it 6 months and then decide what was next. Then came COVID-19. With the world shut down and no idea when they’d see each other again, they spent a lot of time on FaceTime. But, thanks to cheap airfares, blocked-out middle seats, and lot of remote work for Katie, they ended up seeing each other more that year than they normally did. The pandemic reminded them of what truly matters. They were both unhappy in their jobs and ready to close the chapter on long-distance, so the search for new opportunities began. Katie received an offer for a dream role as Managing Director of South Carolina Children’s Theatre in Greenville, SC. It was clear to both of them that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity they couldn’t pass up. Katie started her new role in September 2022, and Justin made the leap, leaving his 16-year career at Union Pacific and moving to South Carolina to start this new chapter together. Justin, a lifelong Californian, embraced the new adventure and FINALLY listened to Katie after 8 years to follow his own dreams. In October 2024, Justin started his dream job of working in the horse transportation industry with JR Hudson Horse Transportation and Katie couldn't have been prouder. In an exciting turn of events, Katie was promoted to Chief Executive Officer of SCCT in early December 2024. Just weeks later, on December 30, Justin proposed in Katie’s favorite place—Seven Mile Beach in the Cayman Islands. The moment was intimate, perfect, and just for them. Amid the nerves and excitement, Justin insists he got down on one knee, and Katie insists she said yes. Either way, the answer was a joyful YES! After 9+ years of love, they're so excited to start the greatest adventure yet—marriage.