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Kiara + Nick

Kiara + Nick

Names: Nick and Kiara

Current location: Lima, Peru

Meeting date + location: May 9, 2017 / Santa Monica, CA

Wedding date + location: 2022 / Location: Grants Pass, OR and Lima, Peru

 

 How did you meet? 

Bumble. We had our first date at The Misfit in LA. When she walked in with the same beautiful smile I’d seen in her profile photos, I was so delighted to finally see her in-person that I said, “Nice to see you!” To which she ‘corrected’ me, somewhat taken aback, with “Nice to meet you.”

The proposal – please tell us the story! 

On the morning of her birthday, I told her to pack enough clothes for a 3-day weekend, then took her on a surprise road trip, keeping the destination secret and only telling her that “It’ll be worth it.” By Hour 4 of this six-hour trip, she started to get antsy: “Where the **** are we going?! It’s my birthday and I’m sick of being stuck in this car!” She had a point. We arrived in Lake Tahoe at sunset and had a romantic birthday dinner. Taking advantage of the misdirect that we were spending three days in Lake Tahoe only for her birthday, the following day, I took her to some scenic hikes and an awesome helicopter tour over Emerald Bay. 

When we pulled up to a nice lakeside restaurant for dinner that night, she turned to me and said, “I’ve only turned 29, it’s not even my 30th birthday. This is kind of overkill.” She likely started to become suspicious at this point. And me, I just couldn’t get over the paranoia that the ring case in my blazer pocket seemed to be bulging out a little too prominently. Did she notice? Does she already know what I’m up to? As I’d hoped, we wined and dined just long enough to finish right at sunset. A gorgeous pink and blue hue bathed the lake. I walked her to the lakeshore, pulled a page-long letter from my blazer pocket, and read what she means to me and why exactly I needed to ask what I was about to ask. I couldn’t help crying, and neither could she. It was happening. We’d talked about marriage and our future together in general, but the weight of this moment was real and incredibly emotional. 

I got down on one knee and popped the question. No sooner did she say “Yes” than we heard a couple of women cheering and clapping nearby. We turned to see a woman standing with her mother and her daughter, all of whom were strangers to us. The woman proceeded to tell us they were walking by and she had a hunch (judging from how Kiara was crying as I was reading my letter) that I was about to propose, so she pulled her phone out and decided to document the moment. She took no less than 50 pictures and sent them to us there on the spot. I was totally fine with the moment being a shared memory between Kiara and I, but I’m also glad we have such beautiful photos of the moment, especially with the Lake Tahoe sunset in the background.

 

When did you know that your significant other was the one?

I can go on with countless moments in which a voice inside me would suddenly scream, “You need to marry her NOW!” but honestly, I knew Kiara was the one when she and I switched from having conversations about the possibility of getting married, to mature conversations during the start of the pandemic about the certainty of getting married, as well as where we’d live, what exactly we wanted out of a life together, etc. We were on the same page about what was and wasn’t important to us in the long run. 

What is your favorite thing about your significant other? 

It’s a tie, really. 1) Her laugh, which is one of those pure, genuine belly laughs that come from a sincere enjoyment of life and surrounding yourself with good people. 2) Her amazing capacity for both listening and understanding. It’s not as simple as it sounds. When you talk to her, you’re truly heard.

What has COVID taught you about each other/relationships? Did you learn anything about your SO?

The past year brought us even closer together and has more or less taught us what we really need out of life. Many of the ideas and routines we were so tied to before the pandemic sort of became less and less important to us, and it was nice to learn firsthand how adaptable we both are. A couple of things we realized were how important travel is to us and how much we value time together during weekdays.

 

Do you have any notable stories that have stood out over the years – hilarious, sentimental, anything! 

Thanks to Kiara, I got an incredible view of the lost city of Machu Picchu at seven in the morning, with fog surrounding us on all sides. It was one of those moments I’ll never forget - the bucket-list kind that you keep with you and look back on every now and then in disbelief.

What’s your favorite go-to date night idea? Pre or post quarantine!

For me, it’s always going to be dinner and a movie. Moviegoing has and likely always will be a major part of who I am, and there’s nothing like going with someone who enjoys it as much as I do. Needless to say, it’s been a while since we’ve been able to do our dinner-and-movie date night, but we’ll get back to it someday soon. Other than that, we love a good double-date-dinner, and the few times we’ve been to Dodgers games and soccer games have also been really fun date nights.

 

Let’s talk jewels – how did you choose this ring?!

It was a team effort, I’m relieved to say. It can be such a gamble going with just your hunch. She knew she wanted to lean on the rounder side, specifically a solitary diamond surrounded by a few smaller ones on either side. The Sofia Kaman one was simple and elegant, the perfect combination.

How is wedding planning going?

We’re still in the preliminary phase of planning, but I’m happy to say we’ve officially got the venues picked out. We’re doing one ceremony in Peru to celebrate with Kiara’s Peruvian family, likely in the spring of next year, and another ceremony in Oregon, likely in the summer of next year.

What are you most excited about for your wedding? 

Other than the excitement of marrying the woman I love, I can’t wait to see all our friends and loved ones gathered together in one place, especially now, after how long it’s been since we’ve seen many of them. The thought of it now seems almost surreal, but it’s going to be an amazing feeling when we’re actually there.

Alright – so what’s next for the two of you?!

After the pandemic’s over, we’re moving back to California, yet reassessing if LA’s where we’d like to be. As I mentioned, the past year has put a lot in perspective for us, and we’re both finding that we may want to explore other areas.

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