Joyfully inviting you to our wedding

Online dating apps, the modern love story. They matched, but Stephanie didn’t reply for a couple of months because Tyler’s profile still featured a few questionable “party-phase” photos that made her think, “Absolutely not.” Eventually though, curiosity won, they started talking, and their first date was supposed to be a wholesome walk through the Lafarge Lake Christmas lights. Instead, Vancouver weather had other plans. That night, it snowed so heavily that Stephanie was fully convinced Tyler would cancel. At the time, she was living in Surrey with her parents and he was living in Abbotsford, so the idea of him voluntarily driving through a snowstorm for a first date seemed unlikely. But somehow, Tyler showed up anyway. By the time they reached the lights, the weather was chaotic, the parking situation was terrible, and the crowds were overwhelming. So naturally, instead of seeing Christmas lights, Tyler drove them all the way back to Abbotsford for dinner. Oddly enough, it worked out perfectly. The entire drive was nonstop conversation and laughing. Talking to each other felt easy right away, although Stephanie still wasn’t entirely sure if Tyler genuinely liked her or if he was simply very charismatic and professionally skilled at talking. As a teacher who follows rules and plans ahead, she was slightly alarmed by Tyler proudly describing himself as a "former" troublemaker. But somehow, it worked. Over time, they realized how much they admired in each other. They both valued hard work, loyalty, dedication, and family, even if they approached life completely differently. Tyler is spontaneous, adventurous, and convinced almost anything can be solved with confidence and minimal instructions. Stephanie is organized, cautious, and prefers plans that involve preparation, schedules, and common sense. Together, they balanced each other perfectly. Not long after they started dating, they spent New Year’s together, traveled to Australia with Stephanie’s family, visited Ontario to see Tyler’s family, escaped on spring break trips to adults-only all-inclusive resorts, joined Stephanie’s brother’s buddymoon trip to the Philippines, visiting Mayne Island, and slowly built a quiet, yet chaotic little life together with their two cats, Meme and Kiwi. A life filled with their cats, board games, family adventures, inside jokes, and eventually buying their first home together. Somewhere between all the traveling, laughter, chaos, and everyday moments, they became best friends. And now, they get to spend forever together.

Our engagement happened on Mayne Island, a place that has always meant so much to my family and I. My grandparents lived there for many years, and they (and others) built a Japanese garden on the island. Therefore, Mayne Island has always carried so many memories, emotions, and connections for our family. A week before the trip, my grandma passed away. We were all still grieving, so I never imagined that Tyler was quietly planning something so important in the middle of such an emotional time. Before the weekend, Tyler randomly told me I should get my eyelashes done because we were going to take family photos on the island since it was our first time back since my grandma passed. I didn’t question it much at first, even though it felt a little unusual. Tyler arrived on Mayne Island before me with my dad and some friends. When I got there later, my sister-in-law, Raizha and my friend, Naomi suddenly wanted to do nails together, which was suspicious because I never do my nails. Naomi said she needed practice for an upcoming bridal shower, and somehow Tyler became very invested in what my nails looked like. At that point, I had a pretty good feeling something might happen. Tyler stayed unusually close to my dad. They even went on a midnight walk together with Pepper. Apparently, during the ferry ride over, Naomi had told Tyler that he should ask my dad for permission to marry me. So, in the middle of the ferry cafeteria, with Naomi and Phong sitting there watching, Tyler asked my dad if he could marry me. My dad said yes, as long as Tyler fixed the toilet on Mayne Island first. And Tyler took that seriously. The next morning, he woke up early and voluntarily replaced the toilet in the house before breakfast. Then he started acting even stranger. He took a shower, wore eye patches, changed outfits multiple times, and kept checking himself because he wanted to make sure he had pockets for the ring. Meanwhile, Steven, Raizha, Naomi and Phong had apparently been “preparing” him for the proposal by quizzing him about everything. Tyler somehow thought the engagement ring went on the right hand’s index finger, and they were coaching him on how to kneel properly; back straight, don’t lean too far back, hold the pose correctly. Throughout the night, whenever I left the room or went upstairs, he would secretly practice kneeling on one knee. Saturday morning, we headed to the Japanese garden. When we arrived at the garden, everyone spread out casually taking photos. I eventually made my way toward the bridge leading to the small island in the middle. When I reached the little island, Raizha was there waiting. She started chatting with me, asking random questions. In my head, I kept thinking, “Oh, I should go and see everyone else.” Every time I tried to leave, she would ask another question and keep me there just a little longer. Then Tyler walked over. He gently stopped me from leaving and looked nervous, then he got down on one knee. I started crying instantly, full sobbing tears before he could barely finish speaking. In the middle of all of it, I couldn’t even see the ring at first because Tyler accidentally opened the ring box facing himself instead of me. I only saw the ring once he slipped it onto my finger. It fit perfectly. One of the very first thoughts that hit me was my grandma. Standing there in the Japanese garden that my grandparents built together, only weeks after losing her, felt overwhelming in the most beautiful way. It felt like they were somehow still part of this moment and still there with us. It was such a meaningful, emotional, joyful moment, not just because Tyler proposed, but because it happened in a place filled with generations of love, history, and family memories. Even through all of Tyler’s nervousness, outfit changes, proposal practice sessions, and accidentally hiding the ring from me in the box, it was perfect. And honestly, it could not have been more “us.