According to Ces: In the middle of one of the most difficult times of our age, two bears found a dating app advertised by former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg. On this app called Hinge, Ces received a list of matches, seeing the cutest bear “Saul” that unbeknownst to him would change his life forever! Saul sent the first message, with Ces very eagerly responding and beginning a courtship that continued remotely over all forms of digital communication for four months. The two bears lived in different states (Maryland and Delaware) about an hour and a half from each other, and were further restricted from in person contact due to worldwide health regulations. Once those regulations finally allowed for them to meet safely, they met for the first time in person on the beautiful fall afternoon of September 19th, 2020 at what would become their most special and frequent meetup spot, Starbucks.

According to Saul: We met on the dating app Hinge. I (Saul) found hinge because the 2020 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg famously said it’s how he met his husband.

Ces, being very versed in the gay bear community, was delighted to meet another amazingly handsome bear with an equal joy for life; and one that was beyond kind, intelligent, humble, and made Ces laugh and smile like no other had done before. Saul impressed Ces and continues to even to this day with his knowledge and intellect that challenges and engages Ces. Saul’s heart though was the most impressive to Ces, as he had seldomly encountered an openly gay bear with such compassion, care, and love for his family, friends, and even those that had wronged him in the past.

Saul’s first impression of Ces was that he was extremely good looking (he knew his angles) and when we began to chat online, he was charming and funny.

Ces recalls: During the pandemic courtship between Saul and Ces, their first virtual coffee date consisted of both meeting over video conferencing each with a coffee. Saul chose his home as the virtual coffee location while Ces chose to pickup his favorite coffee selection: Starbucks (using pandemic drive-thru safety regulations) and selected the outdoor lunch park area of his former workplace office which was then closed / empty due to regulations. Ces suspected how special this bear would become to him, and retained this virtual date in his memory. Fast forward about three months after their first in person date to just prior to Thanksgiving 2020 where Saul and Ces decided to take a walk after Saul traveled down to see and stay with Ces in his former house. After a lovely dinner date, Saul unsure where Ces was taking him, went along for the walk when Ces then revealed to Saul the outdoor lunch park around Ces’s former work location where the virtual date took place. Both felt how special their time together was up until this point but had not yet verbally declared their declaration of love to each other. In natural fashion, Ces couldn’t help letting his declaration of love for Saul slip when he told Saul those three magical and special words while he was laughing in tears to one of Saul’s jokes. Unsure whether Saul heard Ces’s declaration, Ces waited desperately in anticipation, but was more than overjoyed when Saul confirmed his declaration of love. This marked one of the most special markers in their relationship that Ces will always treasure.

Saul recalls when they were walking along the Riverfront and shared their first kiss.

For Ces, as both Ces and Saul were raised in New Jersey, unbeknownst to either at the time, each had special memories from their childhood and the decade period from the 80’s through the 2000’s. Saul and Ces can always make each other laugh with pop culture and trivia references that any gay bear nerds from this generation period would understand. On one night out celebrating in a swanky hotel bar, Ces observed a lovely dressed woman in a very fitted red leather trench coat with a matching oversized red fedora. The woman’s very striking outfit was stymied though by her superior attitude while ordering drinks and a failed attempt at a mysterious presence which was more entitled than anything. This character’s villain reference was oddly familiar to Ces, but not to Saul initially. Ces then began singing the theme from the gameshow “Where In the World is Carmen Sandiego?”. Saul looked at Ces perplexed until seeing the woman’s outfit and attitude where both broke out in uncontrollable laughter while others overhearing the sequence of events couldn’t help but join in. This was also the moment both realized their mutual love of pop culture trivia as well as the occasional reading of people.

For Saul, going into the city (DC) and sharing past memories with each other while making new ones together. Also, our first Safesgiving (thanksgiving during quarantine) when Ces made his specialty for me-lasagna.

For Ces: During NY Pride in June 2023, three years since we started dating and almost a year after moving in together, Ces mentioned to his brother that he was planning on proposing to Saul. Shortly afterwards, Ces and Saul both dropped hints of taking the next step in their relationship, started openly discussing marriage, and even met with an amazing engagement ring designer (Alex K). The details of when the proposal date would occur were to be a surprise from Saul. Then close to September, it was decided that Ces would take Saul to New Orleans for his first time during the annual Southern Decadence gay festival occurring during Ces’s birthday. New Orleans was and is a special place for Ces, as well as for Ces’s brother who also has a long and dear relationship with New Orleans. Saul took advantage of this to arrange one of the most heartfelt and amazing proposals in an amazing historic church in New Orleans, surrounded by Ces’s brother and brother in law on Ces’s birthday. Unbeknownst to Saul, Ces also had a special engagement ring designed for Saul priorly that he also was planning on surprising Saul with. The violinist organized by Saul played our special song “Stand By Me” which was both a strong symbol during the pandemic times, and one which we played and sang to each other multiple times throughout our courtship and dating. The magical moment both bears proposed to each other was also captured by an amazing photographer arranged by Saul. The entire proposal was a movement that both of us will treasure for our entire lives!

For Saul: The proposal took place during southern decadence in New Orleans on Ces’ birthday. I rented out an old chapel turned event space and commissioned a violinist.

For Ces: More than the surprise itself was the intense emotional connection that only Ces and Saul can relate in each other, and how immensely it was expressed in such a magical way. We both are criers and proudly show our affection in tears of joy and love for each other. For Ces, believing he was worthy of such a wonderful partner and soul that is Saul was a past emotional issue he struggled with for many years. Going into the next chapter of engagement and future endeavors and plans together in their relationship changed Ces profusely in that moment of proposal and henceforth. Ces absolutely believes in not only soul mates, but in finding a person whom more than accepts the other; one that embraces, encourages, and loves them as equal partners.

For Saul: I was the one who planned the engagement proposal but I was surprised that he proposed back to me. I was thinking about how lucky I am and how much I loved the ring and ring box he picked out.

For Ces: Being in New Orleans during Southern Decadence gay festival, Ces and Saul celebrated with Ces’s brother, his brother’s husband, and special friends. Ces also delighted in introducing Saul to the amazing cuisine, music, culture, architecture, and sights of New Orleans. Upon returning to their home in Delaware, Ces and Saul organized a post-engagement celebration with members of the grooms party as well as special celebrations with both family’s members still residing in the New Jersey area.

For Saul: We celebrated by going to dinner with my brother in law Enrique and his husband Cole at Commanders Palace.

For Ces: Too difficult to select just one! The ceremony for sure is one which already gets Ces in happy tears just during planning. Our intended reception celebration where we as openly gay bears can express our love and commitment to each other in front of our dear family and friends is not only exciting, but also an honor we are privileged to be able to have at a time when there are those who would attempt to take this away.

For Saul: The engagement shoot both individually and with family and friends.

Ces is looking forward to have the honor of joining lives with his soulmate in front of family and friends, an act which many unfortunately are still denied. Growing up as a gay youth even in the 90s was difficult even though LGBTQA+ rights and societal acceptance was still far better than 10, 20+ years prior. Ces wants to share in the celebration that two gay bears can join their lives together in all the same ways as any straight union.

Saul is looking forward to marrying my amazing fiancé in front of our family and friends.

Ces admires all aspects of his soulmate Saul. While maybe a copout, Ces adamantly believes that a person cannot be defined by only a single trait. The culmination of traits such as Saul’s amazing compassion of heart, his kindness, vast intelligence, and his innate sexiness is all part of that which makes him Ces’s soulmate.

Saul admires most are Ces’s strength and compassion.

For Ces: Ces and Saul are unique individuals in themselves which of course translates into both a unique and special relationship for them alone. While maybe not Devil Wears Prada “groundbreaking”, completely open and honest communication as well as respect and love for each other is an aspect that few relationships achieve; and is one that Ces and Saul thoroughly work together at and enjoy as a loving couple. Body positivity is also not a unique concept, but one that is deeply rooted in both of Ces and Saul’s individual personalities’ and past experiences. This has made us a more effective couple in conforming for no one’s standards other than are own.

For Saul: Our relationship is unique because of our shared history and our respect for each other.

For Ces: Work/home life balance is one concept which is an ever present challenge for both Ces and Saul as well as many couples. Open and interactive communication is definitely our tool to resolving any topics related to challenges like this, as well as always respecting each other from the core of love and emotional connection we both share.

For Saul: I would say the biggest way support each other is via communication - we listen and we don’t judge.

For Ces: As a married couple, we can only hope and dream for more acceptance of all LGBTQA+ persons and persons of all races, body types, and differences in the nation that we live in. Ces and Saul do consider themselves fortunate to have the tools, skills, and drive necessary to build any future together that they desire together. The only wish Ces and Saul have is to spend the time they are all allotted in this life well with family and friends.

For Saul: Build a life together and continue to support each other.

For Ces: Ces and Saul’s love story movie would vary depending on the audience ranging from the traditional hallmark gay romance flick to a gay bear raunchy comedy. Our movie “Ces and Saul’s Excellent Adventure” has endearing plot twists, a culmination in growing together through challenges and communication, and a happiest of endings.

For Saul: It would be a Rom-Com/Superhero crossover titled “sleepless in metropolis.”

Ces loves 80’s, 90’s, and some 2000’s music and frequently plays songs from throughout this time period usually on a repetitive loop such that most lyrics of his favorited songs are engrained in Ces’s mind. Ces and Saul have speakers in most every room in their house tied to the same songs; thus Ces will hear Saul singing music from various spots in/out of the house such that lyrics of different songs are put together in a completely different order of progression that is unique to Saul’s train of thought alone. This makes Ces both smile, but also unfortunately begin to sing both renditions of the original and Saul’s modified song in his head. This is both the joy and consequence of sharing one’s most loved music with your soulmate.

Saul doesn’t know if it is a secret but he adores Ces’s habit of personifying inanimate objects like our cars Hyundai-mo and jeep-jeep.