If you haven't heard by now, 2020 is cancelled. OK, maybe not totally cancelled... Joking aside, we have decided that it is best to move forward with a small wedding this Fall with only our immediate families and push our reception with all of you to a later date (TBD). As you can imagine, this was an extremely difficult decision for us to make. However, we believe that this is in the best interest of everyone so that when things are completely back to normal, we can celebrate the way we originally intended! While we are also making this decision out of an abundance of caution, the primary reason we chose to go this route was to regain some control over the planning process. Now, instead of dreading what we may or may not be able to do come this Fall, we can focus on our new plan and look forward to a massive celebration with all of you further down the road. We will periodically update this website with details of our wedding day, and we will be sure to let you all know as soon as we come up with a date to celebrate together. Thank you for understanding and we cannot wait to see all of you on the other side of this craziness!

As much as we would both like to tell a fairytale story about spotting each other from afar, claiming love at first sight, our story starts the same way as many of our contemporaries - we swiped right. However, this was not a typical, blind, meet-online-and-go-on-a-date scenario. In one of Laura's profile pictures, I noticed that her USC graduation sash said Occupational Therapy, Class of 2018. Immediately, I reached out to my trusty cousin, Erin Monroe, who had recently completed her doctorate with Laura as part of the same program. Upon sending Erin a screenshot of Laura's profile with some brief context asking whether they knew each other, I received the emphatic reply, "LAURAAAAAAA!!! She's so nice!!" It was at that moment that I knew what I needed to do...ask Laura on a date. And just like that, the first date at Haute Cakes in Newport Beach was set up. The date itself lasted over two hours, and by all accounts it was a roaring success. Laura and I would later admit to each other that we both walked away thinking the other person was "too nice for me", but nevertheless a second date (a grueling, 5.5mi hike in El Moro State Park) was set before hugging each other goodbye. To steal a cliché, the rest is history! From that second date on, Laura and I have spent just about every waking minute together. The majority of our adventures have taken place between Laura's beautiful hometown of sleepy Los Osos, and my old stomping grounds in the little beach town that is San Clemente. Our favorite activities include: hiking, stand up paddling, going to the beach, and hanging out with each other's families. It did not take much time for Laura and me to realize we had found the person we wanted to spend the rest of our life with. We cannot wait to celebrate our story with you and begin the next chapter on October 3rd!

On August 23rd, I took a personal day to covertly drive up the coast and meet Laura's parents at the Ventura Pier - an agreed upon midway point to ask for their collective blessing to marry Laura. After first getting Jeff's endorsement, the three of us ate lunch together and Michelle then gave me her stamp of approval. I took a massive exhale on the car ride home, but then it was time to get serious about a ring and proposal. Friday, October 4th, after work, I made my way up the coast to Seal Beach with the Great Pacific Airshow in full effect to distract me from the ring box I was desperately trying to keep hidden in my right pocket. Laura ended her "tour of duty" (Laura works at the VA Hospital, and that is how they refer to the end of a work day) promptly at 4:30pm. I met her at her apartment and then we made our way up to her parents house in Los Osos. Remarkably, I was able to remain generally calm on the drive and through the night. But when I woke up, it was October 5th...not so calm anymore. Slightly freaking out, but feeling prepared, I hinted at the idea of doing one of our favorite hikes up in the rolling hills of Cayucos. Breakfast felt like an eternity, but I was finally able to get Laura out the door. We made our way to the trailhead but before I could even park my truck, what do I hear? "It's too windy. I don't want to do this hike." Panic. But kept my cool and pivoted. "OK. How about a beach walk?" "Yeah, that sounds better." Phew. We parked a few miles up PCH and made our way onto the trail. Other than two fishermen and a couple hikers headed the opposite direction, we had the beach to ourself. Just like I had scripted it. I'll spare you the rest of the details (mainly because I remember almost nothing), but after a minute or two of stunned disbelief, she said yes! The cherry on top was surprising Laura and her parents with my parents and Clare at Laura's favorite restaurant, Robins, in Cambria. Life is good!