On a snowy day in February 2015, André and Joyce met on OkCupid. He messaged her when he saw a picture of her wearing a little black dress. After a fun exchange of messaging back and forth, André invited Joyce out for Happy Hour at Grillfish in DC. He specifically wanted to sit at the bar to take advantage of the happy hour specials, but there was only one seat available. They sat at a table for dinner instead and he quickly forgot about the price difference. The conversation was flowing and he discovered that Joyce had never been to Eighteenth Street Lounge. They went there after dinner and took an impromptu Tango class together. They didn’t want the night to end, so they hopped around to some more spots before calling it a night. Joyce recalls thinking that if nothing romantic grew from this date, she hoped that they could be good friends. Their dates continued, and their friendship and love grew. On September 2nd 2015, they became official. André & Joyce started spending almost each weekend together. They bonded over each other’s interests, passions, and even quirks. In May 2019, they moved in together. Sharing a bathroom really put them to the test. André knew she was definitely the one a few months into this new living arrangement, but wanted to wait until Joyce completed her MBA degree at The George Washington University. In May 2022, André & Joyce took a trip to London and France. On their first day in London, André told Joyce that he wanted to check out Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens before brunch. After exploring Kensington Palace and its grounds, they went to the Italian Gardens in Hyde Park where Joyce started obsessing over a fountain that overlooked a small pond. André suggested that they take a selfie there, which was a strange suggestion coming from him. He set up his phone on a selfie stick that had a tripod extension. He told her it was going to be a timed photo, but it was really a video. André rushed up to Joyce’s side and started to pose with her, when suddenly he turned towards her and proposed. None of them can recall exactly what was said but she said yes! After over seven amazing years filled with happiness, challenges, and lots of growth, André and Joyce are so excited to celebrate their union with you on their 8th anniversary as a couple.