It all started with a Hinge match in early 2020 about a month before the world pressed pause. Danielly, fed up with online dating, ghosted Richard and even deleted the app. But Richard wasn’t ready to let this otter swim away. With a little detective work (and the advantage of a very unique first name), he found her on Instagram and slid into her DMs. Danielly figured, if he’s willing to put in extra effort, maybe a date is worth it. That first date was its own little adventure. We tried three different spots, only to find each one packed -so strange for a Tuesday evening. Then Richard mentioned a tiny, hole-in-the-wall bar he loved. Turns out, it was one of Danielly’s favorites too (her and her matron of honor Anna's go to local girls night spot!) From the first laugh over drinks and talking about our world travels, we knew we’d found something special. Not long after that first date, life threw us our first challenge: long distance, with Danielly travelling back home to Georgia during the pandemic. But we stayed connected through texting, FaceTiming, and finding ways to keep our little otter raft strong. We quickly learned that we’re happiest when surrounded by the people we love, feeding off the energy of family and friends. Since then, our adventures have only grown. We have traveled and we even built our first home and moved in August 2024, filling it with love, laughter, and our “pup of honor,” Leila. She's our playful little otter-puppy who has stolen both our hearts (and most of our blankets). From a DM to a first date, from long distance to building a life together, our story has been one of finding each other, holding on tight, and always swimming in the same direction. And on our wedding day, we can’t wait to celebrate with all of you- the rest of our otter raft!