It was just a typical Tuesday at the dermatology clinic where I worked as a medical assistant when I first met Peter. Tuesdays were considered our medical director's surgery days and we often had residents come shadow, so I assumed he was a resident. We found out that he was a new PA that was hired and would be shadowing there most days. Our first conversation was about vegan food and how he had tried to go vegan in the past with a girlfriend but it didn't work out. I had decided to start dating again after getting out of a long relationship and the look of pity my coworker gave me at the word "girlfriend" still makes me laugh today. The next day, he said "Good Morning, Angela" and I thought to myself, "he remembered my name!". Months went by and the entire office knew I was in love with him. I purposely asked him his favorite cookie and he said "oatmeal chocolate chip" and I made them for a small get together at our coworker's house. We had spaghetti with vegan meatballs and he brought vegan donuts for the occasion. He finally nervously asked me for my phone number while I was completing a sexual harassment in the workplace training (another thing we laugh about) and he asked me out that night. When I asked what he'd be wearing, he said "work clothes" which I read as "workout clothes" so I came in jeans and a lululemon jacket and he showed up in a shirt and tie. He comforted me by taking his tie off and unbuttoning his shirt a little and we laughed. It turns out he knew about how much I liked him the WHOLE time and he kissed me right in front of everyone at the outdoor mall. We dated in secret until we ran off to Sacramento together and never looked back! I am SO excited to spend the rest of my life with my soulmate! I am so lucky the universe brought us together and dropped the love of my life directly into my lap!

I met Angela in 2019, at a dermatology clinic where we both worked. Although I saw how beautiful she is, I wasn’t looking to get into a relationship (especially with a co-worker). After one of our co-workers spilled the beans that Angela had a crush on me, I continued to be friendly and as professional as possible, wanting to remain focused on my new job. Angela always impressed me as positive, kind, and considerate. While working together she was given an award (nominated by co-workers) for being optimistic, friendly, and a team player. I also learned that Angela had been voted “the nicest person” in her high school graduating class, and at multiple pageants she won “Miss Congeniality.” A beautiful smiling stranger I worked with every day was turning out to be more than just a friendly hard-working optimist, she was proving to be an authentic woman with a heart of gold. By day I saw patients, hearing sound clips from down the hall of Angela singing “Part of Your World.” We often exchanged short conversations or jokes, such as when we discovered a mutual interest in plant-based diet or I compared her two-lobed hair buns to Street Fighter’s Chun Li. By night I sat in the Whole Foods café near the clinic, where I read textbooks until closing time, then drove to a nearby AirBnB to fall asleep. One evening an old Russian woman approached me at the café, saying “I see you here every night, always alone and reading this same big book. You are young, you need to enjoy life, you need to get a girlfriend.” That week, I asked Angela for her phone number while she was completing a “sexual harassment in the workplace” training on her computer. Thankfully neither this nor a premature kiss on our first date scared her off, and we’ve been together since. She always makes me laugh, supports my dreams, accepts my flaws, and cheers me up when I’m down. I couldn’t be luckier, and I’m very excited that we’ll be building a family and spending the rest of our lives together.

It was just a normal night in October and Peter and Angela were relaxing on the couch after a long day. Peter turned to Angela with the BIGGEST smile on his face and asked, "Do you want to go to Tahoe tomorrow?" and of course she said yes! The next day Angela went off to class and Peter "ran an errand" before they left for Tahoe. While there, Angela had a full day of virtual class and noticed Peter was protecting something on his laptop when she tried to lay down next to him. Peter spent that afternoon writing his proposal speech and meticulously cutting a hidden hole in the bottom of one of the pumpkins they had brought to carve, ultimately hiding the ring box and engagement ring inside. That night, Angela made a fun dinner consisting of vegan fish filets, sautéed veggies, and an Old Bay Seasoning-inspired orzo with vegan cheddar bay biscuits on the side. It felt really special! After dinner, Angela set up the carving station with Peter and Peter INSISTED on carrying the pumpkins to the table. She asked if "Halloween music" would be alright to listen to and Peter said yes. They each cut the tops of their pumpkins off and Angela found a ring box in a Ziplock bag. Peter got down on one knee with a sweet and romantic speech (that he had written and printed out) and asked Angela to be his wife. She said yes! Then she asked if she could turn off the Halloween music, because Van Halen's "Running With the Devil" had been playing for the entire proposal. She opened the ring box to show the most gorgeous pink ring she had ever seen! It was a magical night that was full of fun memories and inside jokes. Don't be surprised if you hear "our song" playing at the wedding!