See you at The Afters!

In August 2018, we both moved to California - Claire to start her career as an SLP, Luke to start a new assignment with the US Navy. We did not meet until a year later, in the fall of 2019 at Soundhouse Church in Long Beach. We were both invited to an Ugly Christmas Sweater pub crawl on a Big Red Bus a few months after our first introduction. Luke will tell you this is where it all began, that Claire was swept off her feet by the man who won the Ugly Sweater contest. Claire will tell you she was glad Luke ran interference with another guy on the bus who wouldn’t stop chatting her up. Our friendship continued to grow for a few months, as Claire helped Luke win his family’s Bachelor Fantasy League - it didn’t hurt that this included weekly watch parties to analyze the latest episode of the Bachelor. When the world came to a halt in March 2020, we found ourselves living alone in a city away from friends and family. To combat lockdown loneliness, we included each other in our “bubbles”. Claire spent more and more time at Luke’s apartment, until in July 2020 we (finally) went on our first date, complete with a COVID-style takeout dinner with wine-to-go and a picnic blanket. Fast forward to December 2021 - 3 days before Christmas, Luke received his next assignment: a year-long unaccompanied tour in Romania. We trusted that this was all part of God’s plan for us. Luke took this cue and proposed to Claire on February 5th, 2022 at Saint & Second. Saint & Second held special meaning for us as it's where we picked up food for our first date and later went for our first anniversary. Six weeks later, on March 19th, 2022, we promised forever to each other in a picturesque backyard ceremony with family and a few local friends. We spent three months as newlyweds in Seal Beach before Luke left for Romania. We are making the most of this time apart with trips to visit each other and lots of FaceTime calls. We are so blessed to call you family and look forward to celebrating the renewal of our vows (and Luke’s return home!) at The Afters in August!