Our story began June 2023 in Tulum, Mexico—on a joint bachelor and bachelorette trip. Despite living only 15 minutes apart back home, our paths had never crossed… until that trip. One of the first moments that stood out was when I asked for his number so I could Zelle him for an Uber he booked for the group. Immediately he grinned and replied, “Woah, take me out to dinner first.” It was such a silly, unexpected line—but it made me laugh. As the trip went on and we spent more time in the group, we kept gravitating toward each other. We shared stories, jokes, and a lot of laughs. Somewhere between the excursions, beach club, and late-night conversations, something just clicked. What started as a bach trip celebration for my bestie; turned into the beginning of something neither of us saw coming—but now, we couldn’t imagine it any other way.
It began with a simple invitation—on February 5th, 2023, my good friend Brian asked me to join him on his bachelor trip to Tulum, Mexico. I booked my flight, having no idea that decision would lead me to the person who would change my life. When I arrived in Tulum that June, I wasn’t expecting anything more than a few fun days with friends, but then I met Selena. What started as casual conversations quickly turned into something more. We became excursion partners, shared long talks, and found ourselves drawn to each other in a way that felt easy and natural. We laughed, explored, and somehow, in that short time, something meaningful began to take shape. Back in the States, we stayed connected. Our first official date was a day that perfectly captured us—cheering at a Cubs game at Wrigley, grabbing food from Del Seoul, and ending the night with Jeni’s ice cream. From there, everything began to unfold slowly and beautifully. We spent more time together, grew closer, met each other’s families, and built something strong, something real. On December 22nd, 2024, during a helicopter ride above the sparkling lights of Chicago, I asked Selena to marry me. And now, we’re preparing for the next chapter of our lives together, surrounded by the people we love most. On May 9th, 2026, we’ll celebrate not just a wedding, but everything that brought us to this moment—the chance encounter, the shared laughter, the adventures, and all the love that’s grown in between.