Amanda and Jonathan first crossed paths at Johnson and Wales University in Denver in the winter of 2013. It was the season’s first snowfall, and Jonathan and his friends—most of whom had ever seen real snow—launched an impromptu snowball fight. One stray snowball struck Amanda as she walked back to her dorm room. He hurried over to apologize, but her irritation was clear, and she brushed him off with a cool glance.

In the weeks that followed, their paths continued to intersect. They shared a communications class, exchanged smiles in the dormitory lounge, and bumped into one another at the campus cafeteria. What began as awkward greetings evolved into study sessions and friendly conversations over the pool table in the dorm lounge. Their first official date was at Panda Express, which was walking distance from campus. Their love finally began to blossom over orange chicken and chow mein.

The remainder of their college years were filled with cozy movie nights and late-night discussions until they drifted apart. Over the next few years, they kept in touch sporadically—texting now and then, reconnecting briefly—until fate brought Jonathan to Arizona in February 2020.

During that visit, Amanda and Jonathan both sensed something had shifted. Two weeks later, Amanda drove to San Diego to prove that she was serious, and on March 1, 2020, they made it official. What followed was a year of long-distance devotion of monthly visits over state lines. When visiting San Diego, their go-to date was (and still is) picking up burritos at JV’s taco shop (and donuts from the shop next door), and parking at Sunset Cliffs to enjoy their dinner, the views, and some good, classic slow jams. One of the first times they started this tradition, Jonathan tied a piece of string around Amanda’s finger, promising it would one day be replaced by a ring. Even back then, they just knew.

When Jonathan moved to Arizona in early 2021, their shared journey truly began. Together they navigated five different residences before finally ending up in their current house. In November 2021, they rescued a ten-week-old kitten behind a dumpster and named her Azula, welcoming her into their budding household.

By March 2024, they decided Azula needed a companion. A miscommunication led not to one but two new kittens—Ravioli and Nugget—joining the family that same weekend. Within days, the trio of cats settled into their new home and became the best of friends.

Outside their life as devoted cat parents and Netflix enthusiasts, Amanda and Jonathan share a love of thrift shopping, softball games, and feeding the local ducks. Their weekend adventures have taken them to a meteor crater, Lava River Cave in Flagstaff, kayaking at Watson Lake, various ghost towns, and an unexpected rain-soaked hike to Devil’s Bridge in Sedona.

Jonathan planned to propose during a trip to San Diego, but since their life together never seems to go exactly according to the original plan, he knelt down on one knee the night they returned home. Surrounded by Azula, Ravioli, and Nugget as witnesses to their happy tears, he asked Amanda to marry him in a private, heartfelt moment. It was everything they both wanted: intimate, genuine, and completely theirs.

They have chosen to marry in San Diego on the sixth anniversary of their first official reunion—ensuring they’ll never forget the date! With a long engagement to plan every detail from afar, they eagerly anticipate celebrating this milestone alongside their closest family and friends as they begin the next chapter of their lives together.