The story began in 2020, right in the middle of a time when the world felt uncertain. After losing her job in March, Thalia started a new one in June—never expecting it would change her life in more ways than one. From the very beginning, she noticed him. When she first saw Brandon, she turned to a coworker and asked about “the one with the tattoo on his arm.” He was cute, a little mysterious, and always kind—but their first interactions were a bit awkward, as most beginnings are. What started as small workplace moments quickly turned into something more. After saving his number to send money for the office’s many Chick-fil-A runs, Thalia tried (unsuccessfully) to find him on Instagram. It wasn’t until a happy hour with coworkers that she finally tracked him down—and didn’t waste a second hitting “follow.” He took a day to accept. She took another to make the first move. Her first message? “I didn’t know you had so many tattoos.” (At the time, he only had three… now he has twenty-two.) From there, everything moved quickly—but naturally. Within a month, what started as a simple connection had turned into something undeniable. Their first date felt easy and right… so much so that he even met her mom that same day. In a time when the world was slowing down, their story was just beginning—and it didn’t take long for them to realize this was something special..

What started quickly never felt rushed—everything simply fell into place. By July 10, 2020, just a month after meeting, they officially became a couple. It may have seemed fast to others, but to them, it felt right from the very beginning. There wasn’t one exact moment when it all clicked—just a quiet, growing certainty that this was something real. Only a couple of months into their relationship, when Thalia had surgery, Brandon was right there taking care of her. In those small, meaningful moments, love showed itself in the simplest and most genuine ways. Like any real love story, theirs wasn’t perfect. After almost a year together, they went through a difficult separation. It was a time that challenged them both, but also allowed them to grow individually, to learn, and to understand themselves more deeply. That time apart became one of the most important chapters of their story—because when they found their way back to each other, everything was stronger, clearer, and more intentional. Since then, their relationship has continued to grow into something even more meaningful. They’ve learned how to support each other, give each other space, and choose each other every single day.

The Proposal After building a life together, growing through every season, and finding their way back to each other, Brandon knew there was only one question left to ask. On their anniversary, he planned a night that felt simple—but meaningful. After dinner, he took Thalia to a quiet spot overlooking the city of Miami and the ocean—a place she had once shown him, one that had become special to them. It was cold and windy that night, and what was supposed to be a romantic moment lighting Chinese lanterns quickly turned into laughter as they struggled to get them to work. One by one, they failed to light—but Brandon kept trying, determined to make the moment perfect. Thalia had a feeling earlier in the night, but as the evening went on, she convinced herself it wasn’t happening. What she didn’t know was that Brandon had already set everything in motion, even quietly setting up a tripod without her noticing. As she turned around for what she thought was just another picture, she turned back to find him down on one knee. In that moment, everything else faded. He told her that she made him the happiest man alive, that he couldn’t imagine his life with anyone else, and that he wanted to spend forever building their future together. Shocked, overwhelmed, and full of emotion, Thalia couldn’t stop smiling—laughing through the moment as it all became real. It was private, imperfect, a little windy… and absolutely perfect. And of course, she said yes. ✨ Final Ending (to tie everything together) From an unexpected beginning at work to a love that has grown through every season, their story has never been about perfection—but about choosing each other, again and again. Now, they can’t wait to celebrate this next chapter surrounded by the people they love most.