We're getting married!

It's 2022, and when Russia invades Ukraine a Russian student named Kirill escapes to America to continue his graduate studies in electrochemistry. He is granted temporary refugee status and lands at the University of California, Irvine, where, coincidentally, Laurent is pursuing his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering studying hydrogen fuel cell catalysts. At the same time, Kirill starts attending the local Greek Orthodox Church, St. Paul's, where Selene regularly attends. Can you sense the cosmic collision that is about to occur? Halloween, 2022. Friends from St. Paul's (including Selene) organize a party. Selene is dressed as the celestial galaxies observed from the James Webb Space Telescope (photos can be provided on request). Kirill convinces his labmate Laurent to join, who comes dressed as Johnny Bravo (all that was really required was a black shirt), and the two meet. A few other things took place that evening including a blue shell that was thrown... but ultimately, voila! A flame was sparked that evening between Selene and Laurent that grew into a deep love and is the reason you are reading these words today.

On December 22, 2023 Laurent asked Selene to go fishing on the San Clemente Pier. Given that activities like this were not unusual for them, and her love of San Clemente, it was an easy yes. It DID get weird however when Laurent told her she might want to change into something "nicer" than her corduroys. Hmm. Along the way to the pier, and at the pier once they arrived, the sky was radiating with two giant, stunning rainbows. Selene, consumed with insta-snapping the rainbows and eating a melting ice cream cone, was well-distracted from the intricate fishing line prop being assembled by Laurent's shaky hands. Once they sat down together, Laurent feigned a bite on the line, to which Selene replied, "that's just kelp." He encouraged her to reel the line in nevertheless, just in case. As the line came up, lo', a box was attached! At this point, something was happening. Laurent dropped on one knee, pulled out the real box from his pocket (thankfully, as the line was tangled and on the verge of breaking) and proposed. Selene of course, with love and excitement and shock said....YES!!!