It started like any modern love story- online.

More or less.

Yes we went to high school together. Yes Rachael reminds Ian that he didn’t ask her to prom in high school and owes her a sweet treat for it every once in a while. Yes we knew who each other were.

But that’s where it ended.

We each have a core memory of knowing the other, we know many of the same people. and yet- we never connected.

Until Rachael got the courage to add the hottest guy from high school (Ian, duh) as a Facebook friend in 2014 and realized she had a chance to slide into his DMs when Ian posted that he was visiting NYC (where Rachael was living at the time).

We didn’t meet up and nothing happened. If you consider months of writing essays to each other “nothing”. so I guess you could say, a spark was lit.

Even though Ian deleted his Facebook, Rachael can find anyone or anything online at anytime and so of course- found our old essays. Through the cringe and obvious reenactment we did together, both horrified and amused- we realized that of course there’s always been something there. Our essays were full of deep thoughts about our artistic endeavors (Ian- painting and writing, and Rachael- dance), the pain and challenges we had both endured trying to figure out early adult hood, job searching, illness and injury, and the familiarity we felt somewhat knowing each other from high school and feeling less alone across the country from our childhood hometown.

Whoops, back to the story…

8 years later. Never once meeting in person, nor messaging on social media since 2014. Ian fatefully showed up on Rachael’s Hinge app one night. She swears she gasped, and because of our prior connection- conversation started effortlessly and within 2 messages - numbers were FINALLY exchanged and a date was secured a few days later.

4 months later we went to The Florida Keys together.

5 months later we moved in.

Just 2 years, 4 houses, 2 states, multiple jobs, 1 cat, and one magical Key West engagement later - here we are. Inviting our beloveds to our dream weekend. Getting married on the same beach Rachael took her first steps on. On the island that means so much to us. In paradise with all our favorite people doing all our favorite things.

We believe that timing is everything. We joke seriously that we never would have worked if we had met sooner, sorry Facebook! We are so thankful for the people in our lives who helped us become the people we are today.

Thank you for being a part of our lives both individually and now together. Thank you for being a part of our love story.

We hope we get to celebrate with you, and even if we can’t- we look forward to sharing the rest of our life together with you.