Alex and Rachel met while at school at Gonzaga University. It was Alex’s 20th birthday and the start of summer school. Surprisingly, they hadn’t crossed paths before, as they had many mutual friends and had even lived in the same dorm during their Sophomore year in school. They hit it off instantly and went on their first date a few days later, walking to downtown Spokane, enjoying the summer weather and each other’s company. That summer was filled with extraordinary memories topped off with Alex coming to Enterprise, OR to meet Rachel’s family. In the Fall, they each traveled to Europe, Alex in London, and Rachel in Florence. They saw each other as much as possible, even spending their 6-month anniversary in Paris. Over the years, they have been through a lot, living separately and together off and on in various cities, from Philadelphia to Providence to Boston. Each place they have been has helped them evolve into the people they are today, taking bits and pieces from each city and each experience to help them grow together through the years.

Rachel’s sister, Anna, was studying abroad in Greece in the summer of 2017, so naturally, the whole gang had to go see her! The overall experience was AMAZING! The sunset on our first night was incredible, looking at the sun drop behind the Parthenon while drinking wine at the rooftop pool bar, we knew it was going to be a special vacation. Alex, Rachel, and the gang all boarded a plane from Athens to Santorini. On the first night everyone went wine tasting, learning about the unique region. The next day we went on a fun-filled expedition, renting a green VW Bug and driving to two beaches on the island. We explored the red sand beach, ate some of the best fried tomatoes on the white beach, almost bottomed out our sweet whip, and then made a pit stop for some authentic Greek wine. At the end of the day, we parked the bug and walked out to the lighthouse on the southern tip of the island, an absolutely stunning place to watch the sunset. As the sun was dipping into the horizon, Alex got down on one knee and asked Rachel to marry him. Of course, she laughed, cried, and said YES! The crowd on the rocks behind them cheered him on after he popped the question. When they got back to the house, Jennifer, Vinnie, and the rest of the gang had a party all set up. Uncle Mike cooked a wonderful dinner and everyone celebrated with cake and wine and a good time.