Stephen and Nikko met online, another success story of the digital age! Steve was the first to reach out to Nikko in mid-Feb, 2014

(or as hip kids would say- “he slid into her DMs”).

Busy as life can be, schedules misaligned for weeks, even though they chatted and texted frequently. Stephen then had the opportunity to travel to Maui at the last minute and from there, they continued to talk, and bonded over the beauty of the Islands.

He flew back home on March 19th, and they FINALLY made a plan go on a date on March 20th.

They met at Rudy’s in Newport Beach and talked about everything you should never discuss on a first date (everything from religion to past relationships to pet peeves). As the night progressed, their next stop was the Beach Ball (a historical dive bar on Newport Beach boardwalk). They had a drink and Nikko beat Steve at pool… twice.

He was a great sport.

Feeling like it was a bit too soon for the date to end, Stephen proposed a drive to Corona Del Mar to look at the cool houses and walk along the beach. It was late, but Nikko was game for a mini-adventure. He drove to a quiet lookout spot and they hiked a bit to check out the waves and caves of the beach. Steve has since called this his “adventure test” to see how Nikko could handle a bit of hiking off the beaten path.

She clearly passed.

A few notable dates that quickly followed were meeting Nikko’s friends for lunch that same weekend and later going with them to Newport Back Bay to watch the Blood Moon rise. Nikko’s moto has always been “throw them into the friend pool quickly and see if they sink or swim.” Glad to report he survived.

From then on, they participated in Spartan Races, started climbing, tried multiple at-home meal kits like Blue Apron, introduced their two best friends to each other (Kelley and Casey), and went on many memorable trips including: New Orleans, Oahu, Tucson, Santa Barbara, Miami, Bahamas, New York, Minnesota, Seattle, and Rock Creek. Since the beginning, they’ve been up for anything with each other.

They moved in together at the Beach House in Newport Beach in the fall of 2016.

In Feb 2017, they adopted their first kitten, Musubi. After several more years of fitness, work travel for both, music festivals, and more fun trips to places like Nashville, New York, and Seattle, on their furthest trip away (London in early 2020), their two friends they had introduced 6 years earlier, became engaged.

They are the Maid of Honor and Best Man.

We all know what happened in 2020...

Happy to report that even through the stress of the year, the volatility that surrounded everything, and the political atmosphere, Nikko and Steve hunkered down, worked hard, stayed safe, and even got to add another little kitten in Dec 2020, Katsu.

In early 2021, while searching for potential homes, Nikko found 2202 Tamy Ln, and they fell in love. Grateful for the opportunity to even be able to own property in Orange County, and with the feeling it was meant to be, they moved into their dream home in April, 2021.

Later that year, in October, the day after witnessing the most amazing concert (shout out to Bon Iver), Stephen proposed to Nikko while paddleboarding in Newport Back Bay. She was later surprised by her close friends and family that had secretly gathered to celebrate at their home.

They can’t wait to celebrate starting another chapter with you, at Nikko’s birthplace, later this year with their closest friends and family.

Engagement Photos