We met through the dating app Hinge – welcome to dating in the 2020s, where you turn to an app when all else has failed you. Our first date started with a meeting of our dogs at idyllic Kensington Park in San Diego. They became fast friends (not easy for Lumen, a Japanese Chin who identifies as a Doberman and detests most dogs), so we took them to the little winery adjacent to the park. Village Vino is where we now celebrate our ‘anniversary’ every month on the 30th; we’ve even become friends with the owners. After some rosé, cab sauv, and charcuterie, we walked to Cucina Sorella for dinner (their squash blossoms and Chicken Frá Diavolo are amazing). Within a week we had 3 more dates, then a weekend in Yosemite camping under the stars. We've been inseparable ever since. We fell in love over hiking, camping, and beach bonfires; delectable home-cooked meals (by Brian, obviously); episodes of THE OFFICE and TED LASSO; our love of animals, especially our girls Lumen and Dixie Mae; and traveling – we’ve been to 14 places across Arizona, California, Kansas, and Missouri, and are traveling to Europe for our honeymoon. For our shared birthday – yep, we’re both Leos who share a bday with Steve Carell! – and our 1-year anniversary, we planned a romantic weekend in San Francisco. ROBIN: Carefully considering my demand for better photos of us as a couple, Brian gifted me a photoshoot in the ethereal Palace of Fine Arts; we’d never taken a really good picture together and he knew how much it meant to me. I’d hoped for a proposal during the shoot – we were beautifully dressed and being photographed, after all – but by the time we we’d gone through 40 min of shots, I’d conceded it would happen one day, but not right then. On our last shot, in front of a large pond full of leisurely floating swans, Brian knelt down and proposed. I burst into tears and immediately said YES. After the shoot, we called family and friends, then went to a cozy Italian restaurant where we ate the most delectable pasta and told every waiter who would listen that we just got engaged. (People cheered.) BRIAN: Question...if you propose and nobody captures it, did you REALLY propose? Photos; editing; posting; social media – these are some of Robin’s favorite things. Getting the perfect shot despite how long it takes isn’t a hobby I share with my fiancée. But she made it clear that for a proposal to be perfect, there must be photographic evidence. Ring bought and no clue of what to do next, I called Robin’s twin brother Michael for guidance. When he asked, “How are you going to propose?” my confidence quickly dissipated. We were traveling to San Francisco to celebrate our birthdays and anniversary. It had to be then. Wanting to keep it a surprise but having been briefed on “capturing the moment,” I had to find someone to photograph us. I envisioned someone covertly following us around, camera in hand, ready to pounce the moment I dropped to my knee… Not easy to coordinate. Mike suggested a pro photoshoot as a ‘birthday gift.’ Brilliant! The ruse was set. Roughly 40 min in, the photographer told me to look into Robin's blue eyes and say how I felt about her. I don’t remember what I said, as I was shaking with nervousness and excitement. But I heard her say “yes.” And the rest is history. Now comes the time to share these moments with you all in person, and create new memories to last a lifetime. We can't wait to see you in San Diego!