Megan’s Version
We met at a seedy dive bar, in a questionable part of Orlan… Just kidding. We met the way so many modern couples meet these days - online! Via the dating app, Bumble, to be specific. I remember thinking “this one seems to at least have a good head on his shoulders, and a head full of hair!” (it wouldn’t have been a deal-breaker if he didn’t have hair, but it was becoming less and less common in men’s profile pictures, the older we get) We matched and started chatting. Eventually we exchanged numbers and took the conversation out of the app. We texted regularly, and talked about all sorts of things, from personal beliefs and values, to what we were making for dinner or watching on TV. The conversation was always flowing, and he used proper grammar and punctuation, even in text (HOT). I distinctly remember him telling me that he was an introvert, and me replying “Uh oh. I’m am most definitely NOT. I might be a little much for you, I’m kind of a lot…” But he reassured me that he thought we’d balance each other out, which very much ended up being the case. It took about a month of texting (blue texts, by the way, a MUST) before I bullied him into asking me out on a date. 😁
Our first date was tapas at restaurant called Bulla, where I proceeded to overshare the unfortunate ending to my 40th birthday party, which occurred about 7 months earlier. (I won’t go into the gory details of said celebration here, but suffice it to say, the Uber cleaning fee is no joke) I got home and thought, “Well that’s unfortunate. He seemed really nice. And I couldn’t shut the hell up!” But apparently he found the tales of my shenanigans charming (or something like that), as he surprisingly asked me out on a second date! From there, the rest is essentially history. We started seeing each other more frequently, he was the first text I got every day, and usually the last one I got each night. We went on an absolutely insane trip to Bali, and got to experience things and see a part of the world I never thought I’d get to experience in my life. And even after I had a complete meltdown over a gecko (well, it was a gecko + a pretty uncomfortable bed + severe muscle pain from climbing 1000 stairs + “Bali Belly”… but the gecko was the proverbial straw, if you will), he was kind, helped me through it, and did exactly what needed to be done to keep our epic trip on track - which included calmly communicating that I needed to lock it up. I think it was then that I knew “Oh damn. I think he’s the one.” After dating for a year, and with approval from the pugs of course, he moved in. I was slightly worried, as I had never cohabitated with a MAN before! What if he drives me crazy? What if he doesn’t load the dishwasher right?? But as it turned out, he never did drive me crazy (at least not to detrimental levels). Even with both of us working from home! And I’ve come to learn that nobody but me loads the dishwasher right. This is just the way life is, I must accept it…
In February of 2024, with some AMAZING help from some AMAZING friends (shout-out to Yuri and Daniel!), onboard the Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady, he got down on one knee, and asked me to marry him. I honestly feel like I’ve been on cloud nine ever since. ☺️ I get to marry my best friend. A man who loves me for me, even when I’m being messy or being a hot mess. Who accepts how much Bravo I watch, how many bowls I swear I need, and how weirdly particular I am about seemingly mundane stuff. It may have taken a little while for us to find each other, but I’m pretty sure it all came together right on time. ❤️ And now we can’t WAIT to celebrate our Happy Ever After with all of YOU!! 🎉
Alan’s Version
In the spring of 2021, I was using dating apps the way most people use Zillow: to judge people’s poor photo choices and to browse for things I had no particular intention of buying. When I came across the profile of a beautiful and witty woman named Megan in Altamonte Springs, I was on high alert for the usual problems - termite damage, busted HVAC unit, built over a native burial ground, etc. Over several weeks of texting and chatting I became cautiously optimistic that the home was free of structural damage and evil spirits and when Megan was finally not traveling for work/leisure for more than four consecutive days, we met for our first date.
We met at Bulla for tapas and quickly two critical facts were established - the pictures on her profile were actually of her (and she was GORGEOUS), and she liked to try new foods and experiences - an essential quality. Four hours of great conversation that led to a bit of oversharing by first date standards later, I knew I had to see her again. She quickly became a central part of my life and the idea of taking the trip to Bali I had planned without her was unimaginable.
Bali was an amazing time both for the place itself and for our relationship - proving that we could overcome both the mundane difficulties of international travel, as well as the perils of scaling a cliff face into and out of a ravine via an Indiana Jones Temple of Doom style stone staircase that knocked us both out of commission for the next two days. We tried new experiences and foods, were exposed to new cultures, watched a sunrise from the top of a volcano, shared our beautiful open air villa in the mountains and jungle near Ubud with a friendly (but unfortunately vociferous) gecko, went white water rafting (I fell out of the boat on the first rapid), and when we had one adventure too many, moved to a Marriott downtown.
Throughout our relationship, we have both been shocked at how easily and naturally every step has come. That is not to say there haven’t been challenges, but we have quickly learned how to compromise where compromise is possible and to respect each other’s boundaries where it is not - I have learned to accept that I will never load the dishwasher properly, but that I can, with diligence and dedication, put the dish towel back where it belongs. Megan is slowly coming to accept that we can, in fact, dispose of things that haven’t been used in years rather than finding a drawer to cram them in and that there are alternatives to buying a bigger house when the closets are full.
One of the most gratifying aspects of our relationship for me is being introduced to and welcomed by Megan’s incredibly diverse and numerous friends. When it came time to ask her to marry me, their help and advice was essential. Whether it was Yuri going to the jeweler’s to take in person pictures of the ring when I couldn’t get away without being suspected, or stalking Megan’s ex-coworker on LinkedIn to make sure our proposal onboard would be everything it could be, their help was indispensable. Despite our best efforts, intentions, and successful subterfuges Megan made the proposal uniquely her own by having to be bullied into the mirror hallway where it was to take place, and deciding to twerk for the cameras - giving me the perfect opportunity to get down on one knee unnoticed.
I am so excited to spend the rest of my life with Megan, growing and changing together, finding new ways to love each other and always putting the pepper grinder back in its spot. But first, I can’t wait to celebrate with all of you, who have been such a huge part of first our separate, and now joint, journey through life.
