With a simple swipe, our story began! After connecting on Hinge, our journey led to an unforgettable first date at Simmzy’s Restaurant in Manhattan Beach on July 28th, 2022. John had just moved to Los Angeles two months prior, and Elise cautiously agreed to give someone from outside the "South Bay bubble" a chance. What started as a casual drink evolved into five hours of laughter and connection. Little did Elise know, John's parking meter was set for only three hours. But he was too nervous to leave for a second to add more time if it possibly meant losing the girl. However, John was lucky to not find a ticket, and luck became a theme throughout our improbable journey of finding one another.

After a year of "long distance" dating from Marina del Rey to Redondo Beach, we embarked on a new adventure, moving in together in the sun-kissed shores of Manhattan Beach, deepening our bond and growing as partners under the same roof. And nearly one year after that, on May 2nd, 2024 on those very same shores, John asked Elise to join him in a lifetime of love and companionship, in the eyes of our families and friends.

The people closest to us have been an important element in our story from the beginning. Elise threw John in the proverbial deep end by meeting all of her volleyball friends at a summer tournament two days after that first date, which showed him the character of friends she chose to keep around her. John was brought into large family gatherings early on, still an eye-opening experience for an only child of two only children. And John couldn't wait to introduce her to his visiting parents that first holiday season and later to bring her to the east coast for a Bachelor-style "hometown date."

All of this has led to our excitement to get married with you all in attendance on the beautiful Costa Brava coastline of Spain. You all hold a piece of our story in one way or another, and we can't wait to share this special day with those of you who helped bring us together.