I first met Grace virtually, and I immediately knew she was the kind of person I aspired to be at work. She was capable, confident, professional, and poised. When we finally met in person, the first thing she said was, “I didn’t expect you to be so tall.” An intern overheard and added, “Ha, she thought you were short.” Though I felt slightly slighted, I couldn’t help but laugh. In that moment, I knew she was going to be hilarious to work with.

Being in different departments meant we didn’t interact much, but one day, in the kitchen at work, I confessed my fear of skating. Without hesitation, she offered to teach me.

At the time, I expected her to be the same person outside of work as she was in the office—funny but still professional and serious. But as our skate sessions turned into venting sessions and deep conversations, I discovered she was so much more. We bonded over our similarities while laughing at our differences, and I found myself looking forward to every moment we spent together.

When I moved to Seattle, Washington, I doubted it would ever feel like home. But Grace changed all of that. She became a constant source of warmth and joy in my life. She quickly found herself in one of those rare slots reserved for best friends, and it wasn’t long before I realized how much she truly meant to me.

Grace is one of the kindest, most empathetic, intelligent, and hilarious people I have ever met. The more time I spent with her, the more I admired her. People say you should surround yourself with those you aspire to be like, and Grace was that person for me.

At first, I thought my feelings for her would end at admiration and friendship. But they didn’t. She has such a beautiful soul, and I found myself drawn to her in ways I couldn’t ignore.

I began to realize that every new experience I imagined felt incomplete without her. Almost every day, we found something fun to do together.

We were inseparable.

Then, one day, she had to be away for a month. During that time, it became impossible to ignore my feelings. I missed her deeply. But more than that, I realized I had already started falling for her.

Now, having dated and being engaged to Grace has been the most incredible journey. These moments together are just the beginning of our story. I feel incredibly blessed to call her my fiancée and even more blessed to soon call her my wife.

I can’t wait to spend forever with her. Grace, you are my everything, and I am so proud to be your partner. I am excited to be your husband, and to all the chapters we’ll write together.

Can Grace and Lalo just be friends? Can Lalo and Grace ever just be friends? Yes, I thought.

When I first met Lalo—though many of you know him as Eddie—I saw a kind and ambitious new coworker. When it was his first day, I walked by his desk where he saw me and waved and stood to shake my hand. That was not our last interaction and we immediately hit it off as friends.

We shared similar interests and an even more similar sense of humor. We bonded over shared life experiences and hobbies. We vented about the same frustrations and laughed at the same jokes. We were angry about the same injustices and found joy in opposite things. We both agreed that the dairy industry has too much power—and that cheese doesn’t need to be part of every meal. (Though we might’ve differed on how much cheese is “too much.”)

We talked a lot in the office and even more outside of work as the weeks passed. We were no longer talking and laughing in the office, but soon, we were laughing at a nearby rooftop after work, skating, and connecting on life. Initially, long skate hangouts soon turned to us sitting on our boards talking for hours and not noticing it was dark.

As the months went by, so did our friendship. Friends began to give me knowing looks or pull me aside to ask if we were really just friends. I brushed it off every time, dismissing their curiosity—and, honestly, my own creeping butterflies.

But the truth was becoming harder to ignore. After work, we’d hit the streets on our boards, skating down Olympic Park, staying out late talking, laughing, venting, and just being us.

We were inseparable.

And then, on a sunny spring day in 2023, I realized Lalo wasn’t just my friend anymore. Somewhere along the way, he had become my best friend. And I was falling in love with him.

Now, here we are, surrounded by our loved ones, ready to start this new chapter. I feel so lucky to have found a partner who is not only my greatest joy but also my greatest adventure. I can’t wait to spend forever building a life with him. I am so excited to call Lalo my husband—and even more excited to be his wife.