Like many great modern love stories, ours began with a swipe. After a few weeks of chatting on Hinge, we discovered we lived just a block apart in Pacific Beach. With the world still in lockdown and date options limited, we decided to go for a beach walk — one of the only “first dates” we could think of during Covid. What was meant to be a casual stroll quickly turned into something more. Conversation flowed effortlessly as we walked from the PB pier nearly all the way to Belmont Park before realizing just how far we’d gone. We bonded over our shared love of trying new foods, seeing live music, and saying “yes” to adventure. Even if Emily has to convince Max every so often. From watching the glowing blue algae at Windansea to our first real dinner date, we realized pretty quickly: this was something worth breaking a few Covid rules for (don’t worry — we were safe enough!). And then came the defining moment — at a classic Thomas House party, sunny San Diego skies, beer die in full swing — when Mary (ever the truth-teller) looked us both in the eyes and asked, “So… what are you two?” It was the first time either of us had said it out loud, but we both already knew: we’d found what we were looking for. Over the next four years, we built a life together just a block from the water in North PB — morning coffee walks, sunsets at Law Street, and Dos Pedro’s burritos all became part of our rhythm. We added a third member to our little family when we brought home our pup, Kawhi, whose love for snacks and Kate Session trips matched ours perfectly. Kate Sessions became our favorite escape — a place for picnics, and countless days playing fetch together. So when it came time to propose, Max brought it full circle and asked Emily to marry him right there at Kate Sessions. What started as a simple match turned into the best kind of partnership — full of travel, laughter, late-night bites, concerts, beach days, and the kind of love we had both hoped for.