On a cold Friday December 2019 night, Steph was patiently waiting at the bustling Yea’s Wok for her to-go order to be ready. She received a notification on her phone that Chris liked her profile on Hinge, an online dating app.

A week after constantly messaging each other, on Saturday, January 4, 2020, Chris and Steph ate hot pot at Swish Swish for their first date. As Chris and Steph’s first date closed and second date plans secured, Chris walked Steph to her car, gave her a tender yet awkward side hug, squeezed one of the tires on her 2008 Lexus RX 330 SUV and said, “Nice tires!” Unbeknownst to Steph, Chris knew Steph was the one when he pinched Steph’s tires.

On January 18, 2020, exactly two weeks after their first date and after Steph met Chris’ parents, Chris tells Steph, “I would like to make my commitment of only dating you without me having distractions from others. I deleted my dating apps.”

For the next 3 years and 8 months Chris and Steph, through a global pandemic, family issues, Steph’s 3 job switches to name a few, fought for their relationship. They also had a lot of fun - they completed around 96 hikes, traveled to 3 states and 5 countries together.

Fast forward to the end of August 2023. Two of Steph's best friends and bridesmaids, Stella and Marisa, asked her to go get manicures in preparation for Irene’s wedding they would all be attending. Irene is also one of Steph’s best friends and bridesmaid. Stella was dead set on getting manicures on Friday, September 1, 10 days out from Irene’s wedding, due to church stuff. Although Steph felt Stella was acting slightly out of character for being so adamant, Steph decided not to push the date of the manicure to a date closer to the wedding.

Later on that week, Steph and Chris went to their friend Mike’s apartment. Mike is also one of Chris’ groomsmen. Mike, trying to pretend he knows nothing about what is about to happen, asked Steph and Chris what they were doing Labor Day Weekend. When Steph responded, “We’re going to Anacortes and Vancouver, but I don’t know what we’re going to be doing there,” Mike responded, “Oh, I’m sure Chris has a plan…or not.” Steph was weirded out by Mike’s statement. When does Chris ever have a plan in mind?

On Sunday, September 3rd, Chris, Jingting (one of Chris’ groomsmen), and Steph drove to Anacortes Rosario Beach where Chris got down on one knee and told Steph, “I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?” Steph, too excited to say much else, only could exclaim repeatedly, “OH MY GOD!” Steph impatiently plopped the ring out of the box and put the ring on her own finger. Steph never actually said “Yes.”

On September 21, 2023, Steph and Chris accomplished yet another relationship milestone - they closed on a Bellevue townhouse together where they currently live.

And the rest is history.

99 problems but a pandemic ain't one: a love story that coincided with the start of the pandemic, and thrived in the face of it. Since then, three years and eight months have passed, marked in part by Steph's three job changes, ~96 total hikes completed together, Chris' and Steph’s each losing 25 lbs each, 0 tennis matches won together as doubles partners, and many more moments in between. We are grateful and incredibly happy we can have you come to celebrate this life milestone with us.