We met while out celebrating the start of our junior year at Gonzaga. When we were first introduced, he reached out and shook my hand. I remember my friend leaning over and whispering, “He really is such a nice guy.” From the start, it felt like we’d always known each other. Max quickly filled my life with so much love, joy, and ease. Before I knew it, he was my best friend. We spent the next two years of college dating and building memories alongside so many of our lifelong friends. Being able to share so many chapters and milestones with him is something I will always treasure. After graduation, we both chose to pursue graduate school, which meant doing distance for two years. Max in Eugene, while I was in Los Angeles. Although it was challenging at times, together we made many memories traveling and exploring our new homes. Max and I were committed to making it work. When we finished, we both moved to Long Beach, living with some of our most favorite people. In 2024, we moved into our first apartment together and adopted our sweet little kitty, Murphy. We have been together building and creating a fun, lighthearted life for seven years now. We will continue to live a life that balances our professional passions, a shared love for travel, and prioritizing the people who matter most to us. Our love for each other is at the heart of everything we do. He is the person I want to experience every adventure with, the one I always want by my side. Max makes me feel at home no matter where we are. He is truly the best person I know, and I cannot wait to celebrate our love.

Our engagement was one of the happiest days of my life. It was months in the making and I couldn’t have asked for it to go any better. From designing her ring, to getting all of our favorite people to Long Beach, it took a lot of coordinating. It wasn’t easy keeping my plan a secret, but in the end, the smile on her face made it all worth it. Rayanna’s sister Jessa, and her now fiance Nick, were visiting us for the weekend. We started the day off walking to brunch nearby. We didn’t know at the time, but we walked by her family at a nearby restaurant. As we wrapped up our meal, the girls went to the restroom and Nick handed me the ring. Walking out was the moment it became real. I was about to get down on a knee and ask this girl to spend the rest of her life with me. I wrapped my arm around Rayanna, walking us to an ocean view. I started getting nervous and was trying to make small talk. I had chosen a beautiful tree where I told her she was the best thing that ever happened to me. I asked her to marry me. I said some other nice stuff too, but I kinda blacked out in the moment. Jessa and Nick came out from around the corner to celebrate and look at the ring. We kept Rayanna distracted. Little did she know that all our close friends and family were waiting to surprise her. Of course, her Mom and Dad were leading the way. My sister Emily brought out some champagne and we shared our first toast as fiancees, celebrating another milestone in our relationship. After hiding the ring for months, it was finally on her finger. I was going to spend the rest of my days with my person.