John and Marifer met at a bar in Juarez, Mexico. It all began during a local handball tournament, marking John's first visit to Mexico. The post-tournament celebrations led them to Cananos bar, where Marifer, surrounded by her friends, caught John's eye. While indulging in delicious food and partaking in conversation, John and Marifer engaged in a dance of glances, drawing each other into a magnetic connection. The energy in the air was obvious, prompting Marifer's friends to extend a playful invitation, signaling John to join their table. "If you're going to keep looking over here, you might as well sit with us," they teased, setting the stage for the unfolding romance. As John joined Marifer's table, the initial exchanges of words were a little hesitant and reserved but also interesting. After a few drinks and lots of conversation, fate had other plans, and the night bid farewell with only the promise of a pleasant encounter. Undeterred, John continued to immerse himself in the company of Marifer's friends. Little did he know that this connection would lead him on an unexpected journey. Invited to Marifer's house for an impromptu dinner, John willingly ventured into the unknown, leaving behind the familiar faces of his handball friends. Accompanied by Kaly and two other friends, they picked up some tacos and headed to Marifer’s house. A couple hours passed with entertaining conversation, contagious laughter and endearing awkward moments. The spell, however, was momentarily broken as John needed to return to the bar to catch his ride back to the US for an early morning flight. Dropped off at the bar, no more than five minutes passed when Marifer, "forced" by her friends to prolong the night, rejoined John with a pleasant reunion. Amidst heartfelt goodbyes and lingering glances, John found himself back in Juarez a month later. In his return, John and Marifer officially declared the beginning of their extraordinary journey together.

John was able to implant the idea that embarking on a 5:00 AM sunrise hike on Friday, September 1st, 2023 was Marifer’s own idea, a simple game of inception. Before diving into the climactic proposal, let's rewind a bit to the strategic trip John executed to seek Marifer's father, Eduardo's, blessing. In a secret process, John orchestrated a trip to Juarez, recruiting the assistance of Marifer's friend, Kaly, and her mother, Regina. Under the disguise of a surprise dinner, the trip itself was a dual revelation. While it was presumably designed to astonish Marifer, the true purpose was to seek Eduardo's approval, catching both him and her brothers off guard. After a succesful dual surprise trip, fast forward to the peak of their sunrise hike, the carefully chosen proposal setting. John, equipped with a tripod, framed a series of gorgeous photos capturing the couple against the backdrop of the ascending sun. As they reveled in each other's company amidst the peaceful beauty, John casually hinted at a gift for Marifer. Intrigued, she reached into the backpack he had brought along, pulling out a bag that concealed a custom crafted ring box with the date 9.1.2023. With a confused look, she looked up, John was already on one knee, holding out the ring. Overwhelmed with tears and shock, Marifer, after a moment of sheer astonishment, finally uttered the eagerly awaited "Yes." The mountain witnessed not only the dawn of a new day but also the beginning of their shared journey towards forever. We're so excited to celebrate this next chapter in our lives with you. See you in CO!