We're Getting Married!

Like many pandemic-era love stories, ours began with a dating app and a whole lot of video calls. We met on Hinge in December of 2020, when COVID restrictions still had everyone a little stir-crazy and socially distant. Before we ever met in person, we spent over a week FaceTiming every night for hours, laughing, bonding, and slowly realizing that this might be something special. Our first date was at The Americana at Brand. We walked hand in hand through the twinkling holiday decorations, sat on the grass for our first kiss, and then got asked to put our masks back on—2020 was confusing. With indoor dining still closed, we bought a pizza, popped the trunk of Timmy’s car in the parking garage, and shared dinner while watching Letterkenny, a show we both loved even before we met. Later that night, Jackie broke the modern dating “rules” and said, “Let’s take a selfie.” We still have that picture and the giant smiles to prove how good it felt from the start. Three days later, we were on our 2nd date—walking the boardwalk from Santa Monica to Venice and back, eating chicken strips on the sand, and people-watching at the beach. For months, our dates lived outside: park benches, picnic blankets, beach walks and drive-in movies. The only challenge? Timmy lived in the Palisades, Jackie lived in Pasadena, and LA traffic is... well, LA traffic. So, we kept weekends very sacred. Once Jackie went back to the office in 2021, Timmy would drive across town to Studio City just to have a quick 40-minute lunch with her. The drive was worth it! Eventually, Jackie gave Timmy a key, and every Friday he’d make the midday drive to Pasadena, work from her apartment, and wait for her to get home so we could start our weekend together. We did that nearly every weekend for a year before officially moving in together in June 2022. Later in 2023, we adopted two kittens—bonded brothers Brie and Rigatoni. Then came the proposal in August 2024: a Catalina Island day-trip, a nearly missed ferry (in true Jackie fashion, she had “nothing to wear”), a rented golf cart, and a scenic lookout near the Wrigley Mansion. Timmy got down on one knee and Jackie, shocked and thrilled, said YES! We celebrated with nachos in a beach cabana, soaking in the sun and this incredibly special moment. What started with a swipe and a FaceTime has turned into a life full of love, laughter, food, and cats! We are so excited to keep growing together. And even more excited to celebrate with you.