Although Ben and Rachel both grew up in Squamish, their story didn’t begin until years later in Victoria. One day, while responsibly studying at UVic, Rachel came across a photo on Instagram that caught her eye. It was someone she recognized—a boy from her hometown who was now living in Victoria too, all grown up and looking good!

Months passed, but Rachel couldn’t get him out of her head. With a little encouragement from her best friend (and perhaps a margarita or two for courage), she finally decided to take a chance—and slid into his DMs.

On the other side of McKenzie Ave. Ben's phone notified him of a message. At first he thought it was a mistake. Little did he know that by replying to a message from the “cool older girl from high school,” he was beginning a story that would lead him to his partner for life.

Seven years later, they find themselves back on Vancouver Island, spending their days exploring trails with their dog, Keo, cuddling up with their cat, Ozzie, and sharing fireside chats with family and friends.

Rachel and Ben are so excited to continue building a lifetime of memories together—and to begin this next chapter as husband and wife.