Alec and Morgan first met in Carmel in July of 2022. Morgan and Lucie had been living in Monterey for a few months, and Alec was living in San Francisco. Morgan’s good friend from graduate school at Santa Clara, Olivia, was coming down to Carmel to celebrate her boyfriend’s (Tony) 30th birthday with a few of Tony’s friends from college. The birthday dinner was at Alvarado Street Brewing Co where Morgan and Alec just happened to be seated across from each other at dinner. They ended up talking for most of the night and sharing fish and chips for dinner. The next day Morgan called Olivia and Tony expressing interest in Alec, and apparently the feeling was mutual. Olivia texted, upon Alec’s eager request, asking if Morgan would like to come over and have another meal with her “future husband” Alec. Alec officially asked Morgan to be his girlfriend on August 1st, 2022.

After things started getting serious, it was time to meet the parents. Morgan first met Alec’s parents on September 17th, 2022. Anthony and Jacque invited Alec and Morgan to join them for dinner at their Country Club. Morgan and Jacque hit it off instantly (the Magnum of Rombauer Morgan brought surely helped) and ended up splitting their first hamburger together that very night. Anthony and Jacque loved her so much that, while Morgan was using the restroom, they told Alec how much they adored her and all but threatened him to not let this special one get away. This first meeting earned Morgan an invite to her first Ratto Thanksgiving in Carmel-By-The-Sea. Morgan was sad to leave her Grandmother on the hook for preparing Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings for just herself and Uncle Eric. The Ratto Thanksgiving dinner is not quite as official and was the first time Morgan enjoyed her first ever Thanksgiving day BBQ’d turkey sandwich and soup. This was also the first time Anthony and Jacque met their soon-to-be Grandogter, Lucie and boy did they and their puppies (Java, Illy, and Willy) LOVE her, her hair…. Not so much. The following weekend Morgan’s mother, Cheri, and Step-father, Trevor came to visit and celebrate a late thanksgiving with Mo. Alec was able to stay through the weekend to meet the future in-laws. They were clearly aiming to impress as Trevor spent the afternoon shopping for and prepping his famous prime rib and they even brought Morgan's sister with them, Annie (Cheri and Trevor’s Golden Retriever). They spent the evening BBQing by the pool, enjoying a lovely meal, and critiquing what they all believed to be amateur chefs on the food network. This encounter secured Alec his first Mele Kalikimaka. At the end of December Morgan and Alec boarded their first plane together to celebrate their first Christmas and New Years in Kona, Hawai’i with Morgan’s family. Upon their arrival at 9 AM there was a steaming plate of smoked ribs, fresh made chicken salad, and a myriad of dips to accompany the chips and veggies on the kitchen table waiting to be devoured. During this trip Morgan introduced Alec to her dad, Mitch over ice cold schooners at the Harbor House. Over the course of the week Morgan and Alec spent time exploring her home town, playing golf, meeting her friends, and basking in the salt water at Mo’s favorite beach. Over the next year Alec and Morgan shared in many other adventures to destinations like Colorado, Arizona, New York, Las Vegas, Palm Springs, and of course Hawai’i. Amidst these adventures the two of them moved twice, once moving Morgan into Alec’s San Francisco apartment that he shared with Brandon and Benny, better know as Benson, and again into their Forever home in Novato. Around this time Alec realized only one thing could make this this better…

On February 1st, 2024, Morgan, Lucie, and a nervous Alec set out to Point Reyes cheese factory. After allowing Lucie to usher along a heard of cows the 3 of them made their way into the cheese shop for a tasting and picked up a couple cheeses to enjoy with their picnic lunch. Knowing they needed to kill some time, Alec stopped in at The Meadery which they noticed down the road on their way in to The Farmstead. The couple enjoyed a delicious tasting of honey wine and shared a glass along with their deli sandwiches and fresh cheese and crackers on a picnic table looking out onto the Madera’s beautiful meadow. The time was approaching so they packed up and made their way to Highway 1 to head south. After winding down the coastline, through redwoods, past beaches, and along Cliffsides they arrived at the Muir Beach Overlook just before sunset to “let the dog shishi”. Alec and Morgan strolled around for a couple minutes until Morgan saw a car full of some very familiar faces drive up. Alec, Morgan, Cheri, Trevor, Anthony, Jacque, and Lucie took short walk down the cliffside to a spectacular overlook of the ocean. It was here that Alec asked Morgan if she would spend the rest of their lives together, to which Morgan, through tears, said YES! We are so excited to get to share the beginning of our next chapter with our favorite people on 6.21.25 in Healdsburg.