Like all great modern love stories, ours began with a Tinder swipe. In September 2021, we met for the first time at a little restaurant called Happy Greek in Columbus, Ohio. At the time, we were both taking life as it came—Jeff had just lost his beloved dog and was traveling the world, while I was on a journey of self discovery. Neither of us were searching for anything serious, which in hindsight is probably why we had such a great first date. No expectations, no pressure—just good conversation, good food, and great connection.

But something about that night stuck with us. A few dates in, we sat down for a conversation that changed everything. We laid it all out—our fears, our past heartbreaks, what we wanted for the future. No pretense, no holding back. It was like we both silently agreed: If we’re going to do this, let’s really do it. That conversation, and the dozens since then, became the foundation of something real.

Travel has always been a big part of our relationship—Jeff is a world traveler, and while I travel for work (and for fun), I don’t quite have Jeff’s frequent flyer status. We quickly discovered our dynamic on trips: Jeff plans everything, and I navigate. It works out perfectly because Jeff has zero sense of direction, and I hate making itineraries in my personal life. Somewhere along the way, he started calling me his "sherpa" because I always got us where we needed to go. And then, in the Dolomites of Italy, we realized something else—we weren’t just good travel partners, we were life partners. That was the trip where I started calling him "love of my life," which somehow got mixed up with the llamas we kept seeing. And just like that, we became each other’s llamas.

Since then, we’ve explored the world together—Patagonia, New Zealand, Budapest, Paris, Santiago, Hawaii, Zion, Death Valley, Santorini, and beyond. But one of our favorite traditions is simple: every autumn, we pick a new place in the U.S. to chase the changing leaves. No matter how far we travel, there’s something special about that ritual—just the two of us, watching the seasons change.

And then came Santorini. I had planned to propose back in Columbus, but when you’re floating on a private boat, watching the sun melt into the Aegean, with music playing in the background… well, how could I not? So, in a full-circle moment—our first date in a Greek restaurant, our engagement in Greece—I asked Jeff to make me the happiest person for the rest of our lives. And, spoiler alert: he said yes.

Now, we’re getting ready for the next adventure—marriage. And we can’t wait to celebrate with all of you!

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