It’s the 21st century, and meeting online has become pretty common—so it’s no surprise that Serhii and I first connected on a dating app called Hinge. Even with a little “stranger danger” lingering in the back of my mind, I decided to take a leap of faith and swipe right. After nearly two years in the Dallas area and what felt like a lifetime of online dating, I was just about ready to give up—lucky for me, Serhii and I matched just in time.

After a few message exchanges, Serhii noticed my love for Italian food and asked me out to dinner at an Italian restaurant. From the very beginning, it was clear we had something special in common… namely, our shared obsession with our pets, Forrest and Mike. Over the next couple of years, our love grew through long walks, competitive pickleball games, and saying “yes” to new adventures together. Then, on a beautifully planned trip to California, Serhii got down on one knee and proposed at the top of Yosemite Falls on April 20th, 2025.

With less than a year to plan, we decided to rip the Band-Aid off and jump right into wedding planning. While I hoped to enjoy a little engagement bliss before thinking about logistics, the constant “So, have you picked a date yet?” questions had other plans. That led us to choosing our venue just five months before the big day—and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Now, we’re counting down the days until we get to celebrate our love with all of our family and friends on March 27th, 2026. 💕✨