Our story started long before either of us could have guessed, all the way back in kindergarten. We were assigned to be bus buddies, sitting next to each other every day on the ride to and from school. Even though we never actually spoke, those quiet rides were the very beginning of something that would take years to reveal itself.

When one of us left the school in fourth grade, life sent us in different directions. Fast forward to high school, where fate decided to try again. Our lockers ended up right above and below each other, and our only real interaction came when a backpack strap got stuck in a locker, a moment that, at the time, felt like nothing more than a minor inconvenience. Despite sharing all the same friends, we still never really connected.

That changed during senior year. One day in study hall, while chatting with friends, we finally ended up in the same conversation. What started as a simple moment of not wanting anyone to feel left out turned into something we never expected. From that day forward, we talked every day. We discovered how easily we connected, how her love for knitting matched perfectly with his passion for creating through photography. We helped each other, inspired each other, and before long, we became inseparable. On January 2nd, 2022, we officially began our relationship, the start of our favorite chapter yet.

In 2023, we added a little more love (and chaos) to our lives by bringing home our puppy, Wooly, who quickly became our little sidekick.

Then, on March 13th, 2025, during a trip to Puerto Rico, we visited Matthew’s great-grandmother’s house in Orocovis, a place full of family history and meaning. The plan was simple: go up to the roof overlooking the island’s lush green hills, enjoy the view, and ask the biggest question of our lives. But in authentic Puerto Rican fashion, the weather had other ideas. What was supposed to be a sunny day turned into the densest rain and fog we’d ever seen.

After a few failed attempts to “wait it out,” we finally decided just to embrace it. So, in the middle of the storm, soaked, laughing, and entirely in the moment, Matthew turned to River under the rain and asked the question that would start our forever.

It wasn’t the perfect weather we imagined, but it was perfectly us: spontaneous, full of laughter, and unforgettable. And now, surrounded by the people we love most, we’re so excited to begin the next chapter of our story, together.