They met for the first time at Saint Vincent College in 2022. At the time, both Joel and Taylor were undergoing physical therapy for sports injuries. Joel attempted to spark a conversation with Taylor, but it ended with her admitting she couldn't understand him because of his accent. A year later, their paths crossed again in a Finance class. They exchanged numbers to complete a group project. The rest is history!

Joel grew up in Santa Cruz, Bolivia with his mother, father, and two older sisters. He had been playing soccer since he was 5 years old. After he completed high school in Bolivia, he moved to Newark, New Jersey when he was 17 years old to play soccer at a private catholic high school. He and his group of friends were then recruited to play soccer and further their studies at Saint Vincent College. He met Taylor for the first time his sophomore year, and they started dating the following year.

Taylor was born and raised in Indiana, Pennsylvania. She grew up with her mom, dad, an older brother, and a younger brother. She grew up on a farm and has been riding horses since she was born. Taylor played volleyball throughout high school and was recruited to play on the Saint Vincent College Women's Volleyball team. She studied her undergrad there, where she met Joel!