Our Story
“Even though it felt crazy, I knew on the very first day that I would spend the rest of my life with him.”
— Nathalie
“It’s not every day that a man gets to marry the woman of his dreams… but I do.”
— Dan
Our Story, Written by Dan
On November 4th, 2023, my life changed.
I drove to Saratoga, New York, to meet Nathalie for our first date. I was already nervous to meet her because I had a gut feeling that this could be something special, and when she opened the door, I stuttered. I couldn’t even formulate words. She was so stunning in her bright, colored dress, and I couldn’t take my eyes off her, thinking, ‘This is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.’ (She told me later that me fumbling over my words made her think I might have been weird, oops).
Although we had plans for a nice dinner, the night took an unexpected turn when I suddenly felt ill from something I had eaten earlier that day, which made me even more nervous, and I started panicking. But as my luck had it, Nathalie was a doctor! She knew exactly what I needed instead — takeout pizza and water, lol. We skipped our fancy dinner and stayed in all night, laying on the floor, eating stale pizza and watching the galaxy lights on the ceiling. We spent hours talking, listening to music, and laying the foundation for what would become an unshakable friendship. It was the most memorable night of our lives.
Our first photo together a week later
The next morning, she asked me if I wanted to go to church with her, and I gladly joined. As we were standing there in church, hand in hand, we shared a moment that words could never fully capture. We looked at each other and knew—this was the beginning of something extraordinary. That evening, I called my mom and told her, “Mom, I’m going to marry this girl.”
From that moment on, we were inseparable, building not just a relationship but a deep, enduring friendship. She became my best friend. I started saving up to propose to her within the first week after we met.
In March of 2024, Nathalie surprised me with a trip to San Diego for my birthday. I fell in love—with her all over again, and with the city itself. It was so easy to imagine building a life together there, and soon after, we decided we’d take the leap and move across the country. Though I’d never left my hometown of Albany, Nathalie gave me the courage and confidence to embrace a new adventure. At the end of our SD trip, I asked her parents for their blessing to marry her. With their enthusiastic “yes,” I began planning.
A few months later, on our 6 month anniversary in New York City, I got down on one knee and asked the love of my life to marry me.
Then just a few weeks after that in June 2024, we packed up our lives in Albany and moved to San Diego, ready to chase new dreams together. We’ve since started building not just a home, but a life filled with love, laughter, and even starting our first business together.
Though our journey hasn’t been without its challenges, our love and commitment have carried us through it all. Now, as we prepare to celebrate our wedding on April 12, 2025, surrounded by our closest family and friends, we can’t wait to begin this next chapter as husband and wife.
