Erin was coming back from a girls trip in Napa and Eli was coming back from his work-cation trip in Vail (awesome skiing!). Erin was with one of her girlfriends and they got stuck on the tarmac in SFO for an hour and half before taking off to their connecting flight in DFW. Erin befriended (shocking), Tammy the flight attendant in business class. Erin explained that they likely wouldnt make their connecting flight in DFW as they had two teams and three terminals to go through. Tammy said Ive been doing this for 25 years, write down your flight information Ill see what I can do. Tammy held first class and handed Erin and her girlfriend two mini titos bottles each...Off they went sprinting and running through DFW.


Erin and her girlfriend then make it off the second tram and Erin handed her girlfriend her bags. Erin then sprints to the gate, its not at the end of the terminal, but its pretty darn close to the end. She sees the doors close with about a few dozen yards to spare. Noooooo! Erin then approaches the gate agent politely and highly out of breath and she says The next flight is 1pm tomorrow. I guess book us on that flight, Erin says.


Meanwhile, Elis sitting in Comfort class window seat with two empty seats next to him when the door closes, yay! Thats great, he can get up and go to the bathroom without having to deal with other passengers. :)


Erin & her girlfriend then proceed to walk off and find the nearest Marriott hotel when they hear their names called over the airport intercom to Please proceed back to the gate. Erin screams freaking Tammy!!!! She came through!!


They arrive back at the gate and the gate agent says the Captain re-opened the doors for you two.


Meanwhile, Elis sitting in his window seat, waiting, and they RE-OPEN the doors, when do they ever do that??? Great, hes going to have to hold it the entire flight! doh!


Erin and her girlfriend get on the plane and the captain is waiting for them. The captain says Tammy told me how amazing you two were, I couldnt leave you behind- now get to your seats, were late! (There might have been some hugs with the captain involved.)


Eli notices these two blonds coming in hot. Hes got his headphones on and doesnt want to talk to anyone and wondering if theyre going to take his two free seats????


Erins girlfriend goes first and goes past their seats (she clocks cute Eli- Erin has no clue) and says you go in first - they argue because Erin always sits on the end (window or aisle), and her girlfriend pushes her into the middle.


One of the titos airplane bottles flies out of Erins purse and in between Elis legs. Erin now meets an immediate new friend (no idea this will later be her husband) and says I am so sorry and Eli says Looks like you two have been through an adventure? Erin replied, you have no idea. Im Erin, nice to meet you! Eli replies Im Eli. Eli, Erin and her girlfriend talk the whole flight and Erin has Elis entire life story and Eli has Erins life story and adventures in Napa before they land. Eli gets her number and Erin thinks nothing of it. Leaving the plane and walking to baggage claim, Erins girlfriend told her youre going to marry that guy. Erin said Youre crazy! The date was November 19, 2019.


Fast forward to New Years Eve 2019, New Years day for Erin 2020 because she was in Bali. She wakes up to a text from Eli and literally goes WTF this guy I met on a plane is texting me a month and a half later to one of her best friends and travel companion, Emily.


The text read.....Hola Erin! Happy New Year! Hope 2020 is another awesome one! Say hi to our siter wife. :) and they go back and forth a bit. Erin texts We should get together when I am back! Eli responds We definitely should ! I wanna hear what new shenanigans youve been up to in your travels. . Erin texts Eli when shes back home, they texted a bit, but both got busy traveling for work. Then COVID shuts the world down. Erin & Eli dont communicate for months 6 mos!


July 10, 2020- Erin goes on a girls trip to Ocean Isle Beach, and her girlfriend who was with her when she met Eli was also on the trip. Saturday after the beach her girlfriend asks her whats up with Eli from the plane? I have no idea nor do I care, replies Erin. Text him says her girlfriend. Youre crazy! replies Erin. Send him our bathing suit pic says her friend. Well I have nothing to lose says Erin, and she sends the pic to Eli. IMMEDIATE response from Eli. Texting ensues for several days, texts turn into phone calls, hour long phone calls...


Erin and Eli discuss COVID, and everything is shut down still so they agree on a first date to meet at Erins house (not normal)!! Eli arrives on Saturday, August 1, 2020 at noon promptly. He walks in and kisses her pretty much immediately in front of her fridge (it just felt right), very taken aback was Erin, but she liked the kiss. Then they go to Wegmans, the grocery store for their first date where they get Ahi Tuna Poke bowls for lunch, steaks, veggies, potatoes for dinner and of course wine! Oh and their first selfie with masks. lol.


Erin and Eli go back to her house, have lunch, and talk for HOURS, play games, make dinner, and its getting late,
Erin makes a joke about being a girlfriend (details are fuzzy), and Eli looked at her and said, yes, youre going to be my girlfriend. Erin has this shocked look on her and says what? Eli then says, will you be my girlfriend? Erin says yes before Eli leaves at 12:30am- a 12.5 hour date!


The rest is history, and now they are getting married!