We met in the summer of 2022. Katie had just moved into her new apartment in Santa Monica, and John Ryan had been living in the same city since October when he moved to LA for his job working on the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club.

Fortuitously, we had both decided to join Hinge. Much to God’s perfect plan, Katie matched with John Ryan on her first day on Hinge. The two of us went on a dinner date on Main Street in Santa Monica and instantly had a connection.

Not only did we realize that there was something special between us, but also that if it was going to work, there would be a lot of travel for each other in the future as John Ryan’s job moves him around a lot. After a few months of dating, we realized that the future of long distance was worth it to be together.

After the U.S. Open at LACC, John Ryan and Katie took a cross-country road trip to help move John Ryan into his new home for the next year in Pinehurst, North Carolina. Those months consisted of several flights between LA and Raleigh and many FaceTime calls between us.

We decided to make the most of our long distance, though. With the help of our families and the fact that Katie can work remotely, we were able to take some amazing trips together. From Hawaii with Katie‘s family to the Catskill Mountains with JR’s family, Nashville, Charlotte, Minneapolis, Washington DC, Palm Springs, and a few Newport Beach trips, we turned our visits with each other into making new memories in new cities.

Wedding Party