Mackenzie and Ryan have been together since March of 2016. Ryan moved from San Francisco to Austin in June of 2015 and was looking forward to starting a new job in a new city. Arriving with no inclination of dating, let alone in the office, he ended up finding the love of his life, Austin BBQ. Mackenzie moved from Seattle to Austin in April of 2015, getting into the tech company scene. While she was in Austin first, it’s arguable who ate more breakfast tacos during their time in Texas. Having met for the first time when Ryan showed up in the Austin office, it was a very cordial and professional first meeting. In Ryan’s head he felt he should not date in the office because of the taboo, but as he got to know Mackenzie, he always thought, “I hope my future wife is something like her.” The two’s first date was at the Italian restaurant across the street from their office, Italico. There they talked for 3 hours as they made their way through appetizers (cheese plate), dinner, and dessert, talking about where they’re from, how Ryan knew other people from “The Island” (Bainbridge Island’s population is 25,000), and what they’ve enjoyed about Austin. And what other places they wanted to explore and eat at next. This was only the beginning of their relationship as 3 months after they started dating, Ryan moved to San Francisco with Box. Ryan moved into a 6 bedroom house at 1842 Golden Gate Avenue with 5 other fine gentleman (Nick, Stephan, Taylor, Hunter, and Robert). Mackenzie made her way out to San Francisco the following January where she moved into a 3 bedroom in the Marina neighborhood, which become the only neighborhood she lived in during her 2.5 years in San Francisco.

Ryan, growing up in the Bay Area, had a number of people that he reconnected with while in San Francisco. Old college friends, high school friends, and other people that came into his life as a result of those groups. He eventually joined the Olympic Club soccer team to continue to play soccer and then joined the company he is at now, Databricks, due to Stephan’s recommendation and referral. Mackenzie did not have the same ties to the area as Ryan did but developed many friends of her own. She had workout buddies, book clubs, work friends, and of course, Dawgs by the Bay. Mackenzie also moved on from Box and onto Linkedin in a similar fashion as Ryan, as one of her friends Meghan, introduced her to the company and team. Ryan and Mackenzie decided to move in together in the Marina at the end of 2018. They got a 1 BR, 720 sq ft apartment on Chestnut and Buchanan. Mackenzie wasted no time in making the apartment feel like, and become, home for both of them as they started this next step together. The apartment became home to a number of memories that they hold dear in their hearts. From the occasional friend that would come by because they were in the area, the gatherings they’d have with friends as they were going to go to dinner or out for the evening, and hosting friends from out of town, among other moments, these were times that they look back fondly on. As fate would have it, they wouldn’t stay in San Francisco for long. Databricks asked Ryan about the idea of moving to New York and, after talking about it with Mackenzie, they said why not. They are onto the third city they’re traversing, New York City, and with many more memories to be had in their (smaller) apartment, they can’t wait to see what the future holds.

Mackenzie and I are incredibly excited to celebrate our wedding weekend with you and we hope you can make it! You’ve all been a guiding light and influence to us, in one way or another, that we could not imagine spending this day without you. We’re looking forward to September 5th, 2021!