Nick moved to Arizona in 2017 after finding out Arizona offered him year-round golf. He moved into an apartment in Tucson with his childhood friend from Pittsburgh, Nick. After a few years, Nick decided to commit to Tucson and bought a home. Nick later became close friends with JD and JD moved in with Nick.

Mari went to the University of Arizona for her undergraduate degree. She graduated in 2017 and moved back home to Los Angeles with no intention of going back to Tucson. While looking for jobs, her cousin, Joe, convinced her to put in one application back in Tucson, and that was the job she decided on. In 2018, Mari moved back to Tucson for work.


Mari met JD while working at her job in Tucson. They worked on the same project together and became friends. One night, JD invited Mari and a few other friends over to Nick and his place to hang out. Mari brought her Nintendo switch over so they could all play games. Nick was home that night and decided to hang out with everyone. Nick did not remember Mari’s name but did remember her and she then became “Switch Girl”.

A few months later, JD had another gathering at the house with Mari and a few other friends. Nick was there that night. Mari showed up 2 hours late but stuck around for a while. With Thanksgiving approaching, Mari was having her annual Friendsgiving Party. She told Nick he could be JD’s plus one if he was interested.

Nick finally learned Mari’s name and showed up to her Friendsgiving party. They sat next to each other for a lot of the night talking. Nick was one of the last people to leave the party even though he had to travel to White Sands early the next day. Nick messaged Mari the next day to thank her for inviting him to the party and they never stopped talking after that day.

After a few days of texting, Nick asked Mari to go out to dinner and to see a movie. On December 3, 2021, They met at Native Grill for wings and beer (a favorite date night they continue to this day) and went to see King Richard because Nick knew that Mari enjoyed playing tennis with her family on the weekends. They were both nervous but there wasn’t a moment without talking and laughing the entire dinner.

Mari was set to go on work travel the following evening to Missouri for a week and they knew they wouldn’t see each other. Nick didn’t want to wait that long to see her again so he recommended breakfast the next morning. They went out to Cracker Barrel and Nick brought Mari a cold-weather jacket for Missouri since he knew she didn’t have one (California girls don’t need winter clothing). They went on quite a few more dates and began to see each other multiple times a week. Nick asked Mari to be his girlfriend on December 17, 2021 and to this day he hasn’t gotten that jacket back and they have been together ever since.



Almost 2 years after their first date, Nick planned the perfect proposal.

Nick and Mari are both extremely close with their families. So, Nick made sure their families would be there when he asked the biggest question of their relationship. Nick and Mari planned to host their first Thanksgiving together in their new house. This was Nick’s opportunity to have their families there.

On Thanksgiving day of 2023, Nick waited for the sun to set. Mari’s family was in the middle of their annual cribbage tournament and Mari and her mom were in the semi-finals. With the sunset at it’s most beautiful, Nick interrupted their cribbage game for “family photos”. Mari wasn’t happy that the game was interrupted but she got up and went outside (Mari and her mom later lost that cribbage game and she still blames the mid-game “distraction”).

Nick and Mari were the first up to take their “family photos” and while Mari got ready for the picture, Nick got down on one knee. Mari said yes in front of all of their family and the rest is history!