We met during the wild and scary spring of 2020. Kai was just finishing his 3rd year of college and Darby was just wrapping up her first exciting year at college as well. Due to the pandemic, both were forced to come home early to Enterprise Oregon, not knowing what the future would hold. Through it all, it never felt like the pandemic reached Wallowa County in terms of closures and social distancing. Therefore, as two young college students would, rebelling being told to stay away from other people, we wound up meeting at a party thrown in Enterprise with all our high-school friends in the same boat as us!

Quickly, we formed a connection hanging out with one another throughout the summer. We went on a lot of non-traditional dates because of the pandemic such as mushroom hunting, sunset music sessions, and just hanging out in Darby's room painting. Looking back, even though 2020 was a crappy year all around, it's the year we fell in love!

Both Kai and Darby had to return to school during the fall, forced into a long-distance relationship. With Kai in Redmond, Washington and Darby in Monmouth, Oregon, facetime and train rides to see one another became our steady routine for 8 months. Sick of the distance, Darby made the big decision to move up to Seattle with Kai and we've been together ever since! 4 years later, with our little love-muffin kitty, Beans, and our crazy, sassy puppy, Maggie, we have made home in Walla Walla, Washington.

The spring of 2024 we hopped on a plane to New Zealand with Kai's family for a wonderful 2 week vacation. Little did Darby know (actually she knew all along😄), Kai would be popping the question at his long-loved Lord of the Rings film location, Hobbiton.

Now here we are, getting married!!

We are so excited to celebrate with everyone!