The year was 2021. we were in the middle of a world pandemic. the only real options for finding a partner were your food delivery driver or the internet. So, even though we like to pretend we had a Rom-Com-Inspired chance encounter at a chic cafe in the city, instead we took to the Apps! and we’re so glad we did, because it led us to each other.

From our very first messages, we bonded deeply over our shared love of travel, swapping stories from all over the world. We also discovered that we had a bunch of coincidences too: we both lived in austin, texas at the same time, we’re both Leos with birthdays just a week apart, we both have sisters that are the exact same age, and both have little brothers!

we first met for a date at Hub 51 in Chicago, followed by Arbella for Emily’s favorites—the PB&J and Smokey Bear—which Austin quickly declared as his favorites too. We even took a photo together “just in case this worked out”—and spoiler alert: it did!

Our relationship has been full of adventures ever since. In 2022, we took our first international trip to Puerto Vallarta - where we ate our body weight in tacos and took an awesome ATV tour (not in the same day, luckily.) We’ve now traveled to over 10 countries and 13 states together. A few of our favorite moments were swimming in the ocean in the rain in The Philippines, eating the best Nepalese food we’ve ever had in Amsterdam, watching fireworks over the Colosseum in Rome on New Year’s Eve, becoming regulars at a tiny hole-in-the-wall wine bar in Porto, taking a cooking class with The Walterson’s in Bali, swimming in the icy waters of Oslo with our friends Natalie and Keenan, showing Violet the world (and the Mexican Cat food) with a month-long stay in Playa del Carmen, and most recently going to see our wedding venue in Costa Rica!

In 2024, we had one of our biggest life adventures as a couple. We packed up our lives in Chicago and moved to sunny San Diego. Not only was this a destination that we had spent maybe 4 days in tops, but it was also our first time living together. We figured it was a big life moment, so we wanted to do it big! san diego has now become our permanent home and we are absolutely Loving it.

After living Together & working from home together in the same space 24 hours a day and still loving each other, we knew that this was definitely the real deal! On october 3rd, 2025, Austin proposed to Emily in Maui on the beautiful kapalua bay beach at sunset, complete with a little sea turtle popping up to say hello (a paid actor? we’ll never know). we designed the engagement ring together, combining a diamond from Emily’s grandmother (married over 50 years!) with a new diamond that we picked out together. So even though emily had an inkling that a proposal could be happening, she was still completely surprised. It was beautiful, private, and totally perfect.

Now we are beyond excited to head to Costa Rica with all of you for our destination wedding, where we’re excited to celebrate with all the people we love most and share a little bit of our travel bug!