Every love story needs an instigator. Ours was Sasha’s best friend from college — now her Maid of Honor — who, on a warm Friday evening in August 2021, introduced two people who didn’t quite make sense on paper.

He was a butcher.
She was an ex-vegan.
They went to college on opposite coasts.

Sasha was visiting California from Denver, having moved there from Alaska after she left New York (yes, she was all over the place). After chatting at a bar, Conner invited her to a country concert. “I don’t really like country music,” she said, unaware he was flirting.

Two months later, Sasha returned to California for that same friend’s birthday. This time, something was different. Conner and Sasha were still barely acquaintances, but the space between them felt charged — like a future quietly announcing itself.

The feeling has a name: Koi no Yokan (恋の予感). Not love at first sight, but the sudden, unmistakable knowing that love is inevitable.

When Sasha left again, the conversations didn’t. Phone calls stretched late into the night, sometimes for hours, filled with curiosity, laughter, and the slow, steady uncovering of each other’s worlds. They learned each other across time zones, falling gently and unintentionally.

They still hadn’t been on a first date.

On December 3, 2021, Conner and Sasha finally went on their first date. It began at the San Diego Botanic Garden, continued over dinner, and ended at a tiki bar.

They were both nervous, yet deeply at ease. That night, Conner asked Sasha to be his girlfriend. She said yes. They’ve been together ever since.

There was just one problem: Conner lived in California, and Sasha lived in Denver. They didn’t know exactly what the future would look like, but they knew they wanted one together.

For over a year, they made long distance work: weekly virtual date nights, long messages, flowers and handwritten cards, movies watched in sync, and as many visits as possible. Along the way, they met each other’s families (including a memorably awkward dinner with the Bocks), went camping in Big Sur, spent Valentine’s Day in the Colorado Rockies, and explored Chicago for a weekend (of course, Conner had to try his first Chicago dog).

They celebrated their one-year anniversary on FaceTime. Four days later, Sasha signed a lease in California.

On December 30, 2022, Sasha moved to California and into an apartment with Alena, the same friend who had introduced her to Conner.

The year that followed was full of becoming. Sasha explored her new home, built friendships, and embraced her new job, while Conner pursued new hobbies, strengthened friendships, and worked hard at his career. They went on weekly dates, traveled from Wyoming to Napa, and savored the joy of being near each other. They celebrated two years together in the very place where it all began, the San Diego Botanic Garden.

In February 2024, Conner and Sasha moved in together into the home they share today on a palm-tree-lined street in Corona del Mar.

Their neighborhood walks often end with a double take and, “Pinch me, we actually live here?” They spend Saturday mornings at the farmers market, host their favorite people whenever they can, and fill their days with quiet routines and small adventures that feel entirely their own.

On July 26, Conner brought their story full circle.

He proposed to Sasha at the San Diego Botanic Garden, where they had gone on their first date. She didn’t see it coming; not the emerald forest, not the emerald ring, not the perfectly orchestrated day that somehow included flying her parents in from Chicago without her knowing (thanks to a decoy phone for location tracking).

Sasha thought they were visiting Conner’s brother and his fiancée in Encinitas — true. She thought she had dinner plans with friends that night — false. When Conner suggested stopping by the garden, Sasha hesitated (she wanted a burger), then agreed.

Moments later, she said yes.

High on adrenaline and joy, they spent the day surrounded by family and close friends. and celebrated at the Bocks’ home with burgers, drinks, and games.

They’re still on cloud nine.