Our story begins with a few common passions that have and continue to serve as strong connectors in our relationship since the beginning: good friends and the love of nature. Being new to the CSU Channel Islands campus, I was coerced, actually forced against my will, to sign up and go to a free sunset kayaking event (I know, a miserable task) by our good friend Libby. After dawning my favorite above-the-knee shorts and throwing on a wind breaker, we headed to the Channel Islands Boating Center where without my knowledge at the time, my life was about to make a very drastic pivot. While on the water, my friends and I made conversation with the guides. One of which was a bubbly blonde with a smile that has been etched into my mind ever since that first life jacket check and eyes that were the only thing that could rival the bright and stunning hues of that first amazing sunset we shared together. On the paddle back to the dock I was convinced to not only apply for a job leading the very activity I was participating in, but also to join the sailing team. (Both of which aforementioned bubbly blonde was part of. They really had to twist my arm.) After the paddle was over, I went back to campus unaware of just how impactful that one, forced school activity would be to my life. A few days later, I showed up to my first sailing practice and finally learned the name that would eventually take my last one, Brooke. She made an impression on me right away and by the end of that first practice we were already flirting and making excuses to hold hands whenever we could without making it TOO obvious. (It was very obvious.) Eventually, I gained enough confidence to finally ask Brooke out. Well, technically I told her I loved her and then asked her out afterwards, and only after months of coercion and reassurance from now mine and Brooke’s friend Libby. Finally, our love had blossomed naturally out of a mutual love for the ocean and perfect circumstances. Little did I know, every “natural” element of our relationship up to that point was perfectly orchestrated by Brooke. A private kayak session hidden under the guise of it being “training” that no other employee ever got, the life jacket checks everytime we went out to teach a sailing lesson were not procedure, going out for drinks after sailing practices and work days was not a normal thing, and I'm sure playing thumb wars for hours out of the day just so we could hold hands was not a customary thing in either of our lives before we met. But not much about our love follows the standard and that is what makes it feel so right. Even the proposal involved a good amount of seasickness, a fake birthday party orchestrated by Megan (and thank you Andy, her husband and our friend, for sacrificing your birthday for this) and a fight just to get Brooke to realize she was being proposed to. We are both unique and passionate individuals and our relationship highlights these qualities perfectly. Our love started with a mutual love for the ocean, and we are so lucky to be able to share both our love for each other, and the ocean with you all on our special day. We thank you for being part of it and hope that you can find as much fun in celebrating our love as we have with each other each and everyday.