Our Story
We matched while we were half a world apart–Tristen was vacationing in New Zealand and Natalie was visiting a friend at Cal Poly. Thanks to a glitch in the Matrix on Bumble, we still managed to connect and start a conversation. After two months of texting, we met at a café in San Luis Obispo (RIP BlackHorse). Not wanting our “casual coffee date” to end, Tristen suggested we get donuts–and then play a board game. And then we cooked dinner together. And then his roommate asked if we wanted to watch a movie together. Tristen said early on in our date that he wasn’t looking for a long-distance relationship, but quickly regretted saying that (for the rest of his life).
Our long-distance relationship got longer when Tristen moved to San Francisco for work and Natalie moved to Austin for grad school. Fortunately, the humidity and Texan bugs (and politics) were too much for Natalie’s Californian sensibilities, and we decided to start a new chapter together in San Francisco. We didn’t expect to support each other through everything we’ve gone through since the start of our relationship–primarily the little virus that had us trapped at home and working together in a glorified closet, sharing the same desk. For a year. With most of San Francisco shut down, we visited a jewelry store to browse through engagement rings and decided to design a ring together. After months of anticipation (on Natalie’s part), Tristen proposed on December 27, 2020–the wedding anniversary of his parents, his mom's parents, and Natalie’s mom’s parents.
JUST FOR FUN