On January 16, 2021, Joe sat down for his first high-end men’s experience at 18|8 Fine Men’s Hair Salon. As he was greeted by his new stylist, Larissa, he swears to this day that he knew she was going to be a part of his life somehow the moment she walked around the corner to meet him at reception. Larissa, however, swears that he’s full of s**t—but since it makes for a sweet story, she allows him to tell it that way.

As Joe walked back to her chair, Larissa glanced at her receptionist, and with secret salon eye codes, they wordlessly told each other, “You got a hottie on your hands”. To this day, Joe chooses to believe this story without hesitation.

For the better part of a year, Joe continued to come in for his biweekly ear-lowering as their friendship grew with each appointment. He was drawn to Larissa’s beautiful smile and brash sense of humor. Inevitably, he developed a crush as he got to know her kind nature—as he studied her bright eyes while she washed his hair every few weeks. Larissa will now admit that a slight crush was developing on her end as well, but neither of them were in a position to act on it. She was swooned by his kind eyes, his gentle smile, and his soft words.

Then, as quickly as the flame had started, it abruptly fizzled out—Joe stopped coming in. Though he loved seeing his secret crush on a regular basis, the services were a little too bougie for his budget at the time. Larissa was left wondering, What the hell happened to this guy? Little did they know, they both thought about each other often over the next two years—not in a creepy way, just fondly remembering the other. For Joe, she was a beautiful person who had disappeared from his life, and for Larissa, he was a handsome mystery man she assumed she would never see again.

At the beginning of 2023, as they emerged from pandemic hibernation, Joe and Larissa started exploring the world of dating apps. To their surprise, they matched. Larissa sent the first message:

“Where have you been all my life? 😉”

And just like that, they reconnected. Their banter was undeniable. Joe let the conversation go for about a day before asking her out for drinks at Camp Bar in the Third Ward, Milwaukee, followed by dinner at DanDan.

Larissa admits she wasn’t entirely sure if Joe saw this as a date or just two old friends catching up over drinks. Joe, however, was thinking date—which, in hindsight, made him wonder if he needed to reassess his game. Larissa figured out fairly quickly that his intention was more than just to rekindle their friendship. Either way, by the end of the night, sparks were flying, and they both knew round two needed to happen soon.

A week later, Larissa joined Joe and his friends for his birthday at a local drag bar, where he was gently encouraged to dance on stage while women threw dollar bills at him. Convinced that this humiliating display had sealed his fate and that Larissa would never speak to him again, Joe braced for the worst. But to his surprise, Larissa was so impressed by his bravery and self-deprecation that she was completely sold. Shortly after, they made it official—and they’ve been inseparable ever since.

The past few years have been a whirlwind of love, adventure, and change as Larissa, Joe, and Lily have built their life together under one roof. From day one, they’ve both felt like home to each other, and if fate and soulmates are real, this is surely it.

Now, they can’t wait to officially begin this lifelong journey together—and to celebrate that beginning with all of you!