“Mom, I know this sounds crazy, but I feel called to move back to Spokane. I just feel like there is something there for me, some unfinished business or something….”


Spring of 2021, Sam had moved home from college after/during Covid. She woke up one day in February and told her mom that something made her feel “called” to go back to Spokane. She promptly found an apartment, and moved on April 1, 2021. Derek was just finishing up his senior year of college at Gonzaga when they met on a dating app. 



They started talking in mid April, and had their first date at Flatstick Pub on April 27, 2021. 
They were inseparable after this, and immediately felt at home with one another. 
When it came time to tell their families about each other, they soon realized that the Galluzzo’s and Dzingle’s had met long ago, and so had Sam & Derek.

After meeting in April, Derek had plans to move home at the end of May, so they agreed to do long distance. They knew there were something special between the two of them and they wanted to give it a chance, even though long distance is not easy. This was the beginning of what would be two years of flights to and from Spokane, and meeting in the middle every two weeks to keep spending time together. 


After moving home in May 2023, Sam and Derek continued dating, but for the first time in the same city. Soon to follow this was March 2024 when they moved into their first apartment together. 




The pair soon received an invitation to a surprise party in the mail for one of Derek’s parents friends that would happen in the month of June. What Sam didn't know, was that this was a ruse to get Sam to dress up for her own proposal!





Derek and Sam got to Crescent Bar and immediately started getting ready for this “surprise party”. When they went to leave, Sam noticed that Derek was driving to the wrong place….until she saw Dayla’s (Derek’s sister) car in the driveway. They got out of the car, walked through the grass (Sam was already crying) and turned to see everything they had set up.

After months of planning, it all came to light. Derek had his family, Sam’s parents and her sister Lili (who lives in Chicago) travel to Crescent bar for the celebration after Derek proposed to Sam.

Since then, the two have been enjoying spending time with our families, living together, planning for their wedding and the rest of their lives together.

The invisible string between Derek & Sam is present in their family connections, friends, journey at Gonzaga….and dates all the way back to a 2011 Fourth of July Parade.

Every person at our wedding has impacted our story in some way, and brought us to where we are now. We are so thankful for you all and how you helped shape us… we are honored to have you as a part of our lives and of this special day. 
Love, Derek & Sam