"MAWAGE IS WHAT BRINGS US TOGETHER TODAY"

Let’s rewind the clock back to 2017—Shin Park spots a crew-neck sweater, baseball cap, glasses-wearing fellow who happened to work on the same floor as her at Nickelodeon. Upon first sight, Shin thought, “Woah… That guy dresses exactly like me!” Fascination soon evolves into puppy love, kitten crush, whatever you’d like to call it. It was a flurry of a year, trying to muster up courage to simply make-eye contact, or say “hello” by the lobby coffee machine. All tactics failed to even learn his name, until December of that year, Shin finally asked Diem Doan, “Who’s the guy that shares an office with Leon and Beanie Baby?” (Beanie Baby = Mike Launder—iykyk) and she responds “Oh, that’s Lester!” “Lester, huh—I think I have a crush on him.” Then comes around another year of red-faced, clumsy encounters. One minute conversations would cause Shin to run and trap herself in the bathroom stall to wait for her blushing to go away, and at one point, she even pressured Jordan Rosato to try to set up an after-work bar hangout with Lester and all of his office mates just so she can try to become more comfortable around him. Month after month, Shin would look forward to any ounce of progress—“Look at what he said to me on Instagram!” Shin would shout excitedly in Jordan’s old office, in which Jordan dryly replies “That joke’s not even funny…” By December of 2018, there was a change of mindset for Shin. Before the Nickelodeon Holiday Party, she gave herself a talking to in the mirror, fully convincing herself “Hey, he’s just not into you—but you know what? He’s a cool guy regardless, and I don’t mind being friends with him.” Later at the party, Shin spots Lester in line for food as she just finished grabbing her plate, and she thought this would be her chance to “play it cool,” by giving him a good punch-a-roo on the arm and some finger guns. Clumsy as she was, she walked backwards into Princess Bizares, falling forward and spilling her food everywhere in front of Lester. Stunned and embarrassed, Shin quickly wiped away what she could and ran to hide (scream) into Katie Pambuku’s arms, but legends say that moment of clumsiness was when Lester (ironically) fell for Shin. That night was the night Lester asked Shin out on the very first date, which Shin ended the conversation with “So… Cool! Um, high five?!” From 2019 to the present day, Shin and Lester’s relationship blossomed and continued to strengthen in ways they could have never imagined. Early foundations were built on vulnerability, trust and humility of where they needed to grow as individuals. Later foundations were concreted by faith and recognition that God is the constant force that guides their hearts with more patience and wisdom than they could draw from themselves. Lester and Shin aren’t each others’ missing halves, but truly each others’ compliments. The wedding ceremony itself will be only just another step in this expansive journey, but from March 25th, 2023 and onwards, they hope to have all of your continued support, prayers, and advice for an everlasting and fruitful relationship.