Lauren and Joey’s story began in 2018, but in a way, their paths had crossed long before that. They had both gone to high school together, yet somehow never met until after graduation when a mutual group of friends brought them together.

Joey first met Lauren while she was in a relationship with someone else. Lauren recalls Joey introducing himself to her twice due to her looking different each time. She said that she like a bum the first time he introduced himself to her and the second time she had done her hair and make-up. Joey denies mistakingly introducing himself twice.

Soon after, Lauren’s relationship ended, and Joey, persistent and not one to give up easily, asked her out three times before she finally said yes.

For Lauren, Joey stood out as a funny, easygoing guy with a passion for cars—something that instantly caught her interest. Joey, on the other hand, didn’t hold back when describing his first impressions of Lauren. He thought she was “crazy” but in the best, most fun way possible.

Their first date was set for December 23rd, 2018. Joey took Lauren to the Mission Inn in Riverside, California. It was supposed to be romantic, but they both remember it as a bit awkward—too much pressure for a first date, maybe. Still, after the awkwardness of the evening, they ended up at a friend’s party—Collin’s coming home party. When they walked in together, their friends lost it, clearly surprised to see them there as a couple. One friend asked Joey if Lauren was his girlfriend, and without hesitation, Lauren blurted out a definitive “yes.”

That was the moment their story truly began.

Later that night, at the party, they shared their first kiss—slow dancing to “Hey Jude” by The Beatles. To this day, that song and that moment remain a core memory of their relationship, marking the beginning of something neither of them could have expected but both would cherish forever.