We first met through trivia nights at a pub in Vista, CA. Mark couldn't help but notice the beautiful woman who was part of an oft-winning trivia team duo, and when a soon-to-be mutual friend first messaged her, Sydney was excited by the prospect that this new name could be that cute guy she saw each week in the large trivia team. We did eventually meet, as Sydney joined Mark's group, and things quickly began to develop. ROMANTIC things, that is. On September 30, 2016, we had our first date at a cute, seaside Italian restaurant in La Jolla, CA. It was a picturesque evening: we discovered passion fruit flavored butter (delicious!), Sydney wore Mark's coat over her shoulders as they walked in the brisk nighttime air, laughs were had and gelato was consumed, and it all culminated as we sat, resting in each other's arms while listening to the ocean waves beyond us. One week later we were a "Facebook official" couple, and that was that! For the next two years, we made countless memories that we can only sample here: a wedding, vacations, a missions trip, volunteering with our church's youth group, serving at and attending church together, laughing until we cry, opening up and comforting one another, learning and growing together as individuals and partners, serving God together as best we can, and enjoying everything about each other - through all of the ups and downs of life! On October 8, 2018, two years to the day after we became an official item and at the location of our first date, Sydney watched as Mark dropped to one knee with a diamond ring in his hand, and, well... now you're on our wedding page! If you'd love to read about the engagement in detail (and of course you do!), Mark wrote about it here: https://mushakian.com/were-engaged/ We are really excited to start our lives together as a married couple and look forward to having you all there! Please check out the rest of this site for more info about our coming nuptials, and we'll see ya in September!