Thanks to a little app we all know and love, Yiğit and I met on March 22nd, 2016. After a few months of getting to know one another, Yiğit left to go home to Turkey after graduating with his Bachelors degree... Lucky for me, he failed his Macroeconomics course, which led us to spending the entire summer of 2016 together. After an unforgettable season, Yiğit had to return to Turkey once again and I to Colorado, for my first year away at University. Separated for over a year and by several thousand miles, traveling across the world twice in that year to visit him, and endless FaceTime dates later, we remained together and soon began our lives in Edwardsville, IL in 2017. Fast forward to now; we are excited to celebrate our first year of marriage with family and friends on September 11, 2021.

Our California family vacation was coming to an end, and after we had dropped off Yiğit's parents and sister at the airport, we decided to spend our last few hours in Malibu before our flight. It was the most beautiful day so Yiğit suggested we find a winery somewhere in the mountains. After searching for some time, and realizing that visiting a winery in Malibu without a reservation was next to impossible, we began to drive along the mountain roads towards the beach instead. Yiğit became adamant that he wanted to "go on a hike", so we stopped every few hundred feet to check the view and see whether there was a path, until we came along the perfect little spot. While I was watching the sunset, Yiğit was rummaging through his red backpack behind me. Once I turned around, I saw him on his knee and the rest is history.