It all began on Kristen’s birthday, the summer of 2022, in San Diego, California. Kristen was celebrating with her sister and friends at a hotel, while James was there the same weekend for a fantasy football draft with his high school buddies—a staycation he never expected would change his life. From the balcony, James noticed Kristen by the hot tub and decided he had to introduce himself. He came down, struck up a conversation, and invited the group to join him later at a live music spot at a country bar (he figured it was a safe bet since Kristen lived in Texas!). They hadn’t planned on going out, but something about the invitation felt right. Though they didn’t find each other at first, their paths crossed again at the end of the concert. James took Kristen and her friends to a rooftop bar overlooking the Padres stadium, and afterwards, the two of them ended up talking the night away. That night, James told Kristen she was “the one” and even said he’d move to Texas for her. Safe to say, that fantasy football draft turned out to be the best pick he ever made. Early on, Kristen and James also bonded over being dog parents—each had a big dog and a little dog, which made for the perfect match. Fast forward to today, they’ve blended their packs and have a happy (and lively!) family of five pups: two doodles, two frenchies, and one husky. With that crew, there’s never a dull—or quiet—moment in their house! For the next year, they did long-distance—FaceTiming every day and flying back and forth whenever they could. True to his word, one year later James moved to Texas, and the two have been building their life together here ever since. And now, they can’t wait to celebrate the next chapter of their story with all of you. ❤️