we're getting married!

Emmanuel and Tory’s love story began all the way back in 2021. The first time they saw each other was in the hallways of First Christian Church in El Centro, California. At the time, Emmanuel was pursuing his Computer Science degree at UC San Diego, while Tory was working toward her Associate’s degree in Political Science at Imperial Valley College. For a whole year, they crossed paths almost every Sunday—exchanging quick glances, sharing little smiles, and feeling an unspoken pull toward each other. The interest was definitely there, but neither of them made a move. Then, in the summer of 2022, Emmanuel finally walked up to her with a slightly nervous smile and asked, “Have we met before?” Tory laughed and shook her head. “Nope, I don’t think so.” That one simple question turned into a conversation neither of them wanted to end. As they talked, school came up, and that’s when they realized something crazy—Tory would soon be transferring to UCSD, the very same college Emmanuel was already attending. From that moment on, everything just clicked. What started as a funny coincidence turned into hours-long conversations, study sessions, campus coffee runs, and road trips between the Imperial Valley and San Diego. Getting to know each other felt effortless—like it was always meant to happen. Looking back, it’s clear: their paths were always meant to cross. It just took a little time (and a lot of stolen glances) to get there. And now? Now, they’re getting married—proof that sometimes, the best love stories are the ones that were quietly unfolding all along.