Like many modern romances, ours began on a dating app. We met for our first date at North Park Beer Co, ending the evening with jokes, smiles, and a plan to see each other again the following week—despite Mani’s insistence on dinner the very next day. 😉

Date two brought more effortless conversation, and we continued at that pace until Courtney had to disappear into a bit of a black hole to study for her final architecture licensing exam. So Mani waited… and waited… and waited.

Her focus and his patience paid off—she passed (yay!). Mani celebrated by planning date number three over drinks, marking an early milestone in our relationship. That moment of celebration set two important precedents for us: that we each deserve space to pursue our individual dreams and goals, and that making time to celebrate one another’s wins—big or small—is always a priority.

Soon after, our early days of getting to know each other grew into a shared world of creativity and fun-making. We looked forward to weekends, each one unfolding like a small adventure as we explored San Diego together. That curiosity continued to grow until we set our sights on international travel, taking our first big trip to Spain after six months of dating. Seven cities and eleven days later, we were exhilarated, slightly exhausted, and eager for more. Most importantly, we tested our travel compatibility, conflict-resolution skills, and opposing fútbol allegiances. We excelled at the first two—still working on the third one.

Our lives became further intertwined as we introduced our families, made shared friends, and decided to move in together. We settled into our first apartment—affectionately known as “The Treehouse”—which, nearly four years into dating, remains our home base for designing a life centered on joy and adventure.

For Courtney’s 38th birthday, Mani planned a surprise vacation that would become the trip of a lifetime. Courtney chose to keep the destination a mystery (for her) until departure, and we soon found ourselves landing in beautiful Punta Cana. As if that weren’t magical enough, Mani arranged an “impromptu” boat trip to the stunning Isla Saona, famous for its low-arching palms and white sand beaches.

While walking along a quiet stretch of shoreline, completely absorbed in the beauty around us, something unexpected happened…Mani suddenly disappeared. It took Courtney a moment to realize he hadn’t vanished at all—he had simply dropped to one knee. In one of the most beautiful places on Earth, he asked the easiest question she’s ever answered.

She said yes, immediately establishing Mani as her favorite ex-boyfriend of all time. ❤️

As you may have noticed, a shared love of adventure remains at the heart of our story, and we can’t wait for the next one as we take this step together!