Ian Kendrick is a native of Fredericksburg, Texas. He graduated in 2021 from Austin College with a BA in Political Science. He traded the Lone Star State for the Marine Corps, commissioning as an officer following his college graduation before eventually embarking to the shores of Okinawa, Japan.

Lauren Kulp hails from Buffalo, New York. She earned a BS in Chemical Engineering from Clarkson University in 2019 and was commissioned as a US Marine Officer in 2021, before leaving behind her Bills and wicked winters for her own hot and humid Okinawa adventure.

Their paths crossed on the island of Okinawa in the most modern way: on Hinge. Ian was instantly captivated by Lauren's profile, and set the record for the shortest amount of time on a dating app. The two matched within about 12 hours of him downloading the app. Their connection was immediate, leading to a surprisingly in-depth conversation about Punnett squares and the predicted eye color of their future children – all within minutes of their first connection. Lauren then asked Ian on their first date that same evening (a Monday night) at Ian’s favorite yakiniku restaurant. Numerous adventures together, including a tumultuous Hokkaido hike, weekend trips to mainland Japan, ski trips, deployments, and Temporary Additional Duty assignments later, their relationship has blossomed in just over a year, proving that when you know, you know.

They share a love of dancing, hiking, cooking, camping, and being all around weird together. And while Lauren conquers the main quest in Assassin's Creed, Ian diligently tackles all the side quests – a testament to their complementary partnership.

Wedding Day