Emily and Manpreet’s love story is a tale as old as time - they matched on Hinge. Manpreet had recently relocated to Portland for work, and Emily had recently started gamifying the dating process with her friends to keep from writing off the apps entirely.

On December 12, 2022, they met for their first dinner date. Emily proactively paid for her meal, and Manpreet assumed this meant he had made a bad first impression. In reality, she liked him a lot and was just setting the stage for a relationship that would defy traditional gender roles.

Their first date led to several more, and they started introducing each other to their friends. The more they learned about each other and the important people in their lives, the more everything seemed to click.

On February 4, 2023, Manpreet officially became Emily's first boyfriend. Their love grew while they navigated periods of long distance as Manpreet's job and family needed him back in the Bay. The couple's bond was never in question, but the logistics of having strong ties in two different states weighed heavily on their minds.

On September 20, 2023, after both had spent months clearly being in love while waiting for the other person to say it first, Manpreet finally said “I love you”. Actually, his exact words were, "Okayyy, you win. I do love you." She said it back, and they agreed that really, they'd both won. And that maybe they were both a bit petty and competitive.

The couple knew they wanted to build a future together and started working on a concrete plan. It became clear that Manpreet would need to move back to the Bay. Early in their relationship, Emily had half-joked that, "You can't just move here and find a souvenir person to bring back with you." As it turns out, he absolutely could.

Emily knew she would rather be in California with Manpreet than in Portland without him. Manpreet was willing to delay his move to make sure their relationship had a strong foundation first. In January of 2024, they moved in together in Portland. The next year confirmed everything they needed to know about how they would navigate life together.

Don't worry - during that year, Emily made sure Manpreet would understand her niche references by having him watch every single episode of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" with her. Manpreet returned the favor by introducing her to all of "Attack on Titan".

On February 5, 2025, during their anniversary trip to Cancun, Manpreet proposed! Emily said yes, and they finally arranged their move to California.

Emily and Manpreet have been living in San Ramon for the past year while planning their wedding. They both transferred to great job opportunities and Emily has enjoyed getting to know Manpreet's friends enough to call them her own. Their dog Mac takes full advantage of the California weather in his new yard. This new chapter of life has been rewarding, and they look forward to celebrating their upcoming wedding with their closest friends and family!