We’re getting married!

So, here's the deal—Stacey swears we met through "mutual friends," but let’s be real. We actually met on Hinge (sorry, Mom). After swiping right, we did what every modern couple does: talked for a while, got the vibe, and eventually decided to meet up in person. Enter: Ryan, not exactly a champion texter (he’s still not), but definitely someone who wasn’t afraid to mix things up. Instead of the usual texting back-and-forth, he decided to pick up the phone and call Stacey out of the blue. Stacey, being the Type A planner she is, was definitely not free. Classic. But Ryan didn’t give up—he let it slide, and they rescheduled. First date: Nick’s in Manhattan Beach, CA. Ryan, ever the fashionista, showed up in a Reyn Spooner red, white, and blue shirt—perfect for the 4th of July weekend. Stacey, being fashionably late (because some things never change), finally walked in to see Ryan sitting at the bar, probably wondering if he’d been stood up. Spoiler: he wasn’t. They grabbed a table, started chatting, and before they knew it, one drink turned into dinner, and dinner turned into the restaurant staff kindly asking them to leave because the place had closed 30 minutes ago. Oops. They continued hanging out and the more they saw one another, the more Stacey thought, “There’s no way this guy is from California.” She was convinced Ryan was secretly a Midwestern boy at heart. The fact that he had a fake deer in his backyard to practice his hunting skills really threw her for a loop. But he swore he grew up in California. And yes, he actually goes hunting, the deer wasn’t just for looks. The relationship continued to develop and Ryan said something that Stacey would never forget: In order for a relationship to work, you need to be best friends first. As cheesy as it sounds, that line stuck with her, and suddenly, the whole thing clicked. From there, it was no longer a series of random dates—it became something more, they were best friends. From strangers to best friends to partners in crime, we’ve grown together in ways we never expected. Now, here we are, excited to take the next step from best friends to spouses, with a love story that started with a phone call, a Fourth of July shirt, and a fake deer in the backyard (the deer is still there FYI). We can’t wait to celebrate this next chapter with you all!