How We Met
We met at our best friends’ wedding, and the rest was history.
I’m not sure how we managed this, but Jeffrey and I had never met, even though his friend of 10+ years was marrying my best friend of 10+ years. It wasn’t until the rehearsal dinner, where the happy couple was introducing some the bridesmaids and groomsmen that hadn’t met yet that we first saw each other. “This is Aubri, my Maid of Honor,” my best friend stated as I reached out my hand to shake Jeff’s. He seemed shy and somehow still managed to be the life of the party. Aside from glances and passing comments, we barely spoke the rest of the night or at the wedding itself (which Jeff later admitted, adorably, was because he was nervous). I knew instantaneously that this person was going to be a big part of my life.
After our newlywed friends departed for their honeymoon, it occurred to me that I had no way of getting in touch with this groomsman that I couldn’t stop thinking about. They were my only connections to him! After three days of thinking about it, I reached out the only way I knew how; I messaged him through social media. He responded immediately. The conversation was easy and we bonded over our love for the outdoors, a good book, and witty banter. Our differences were just enough to keep it interesting. Before our friends even returned from their honeymoon, we’d already planned our first date.
how they asked
You’d think a romantic day of driving the California coast in a convertible and arriving at Carmel beach, just in time for sunset, would have raised my suspicions. I’m almost embarrassed to say, I suspected nothing.
Jeffrey is the youngest of three boys, all of whom took their significant other to meet a very important great aunt before proposing. Aunt Donna, one of the most intelligent and kind-hearted humans I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing, lives in LA, and the rest of the family, in New Jersey. When Jeff’s father realized his mother was the one, he took her to meet Aunt Donna before proposing, starting the tradition.
Knowing that Jeff had booked us a trip to drive the California coast (one of our bucket-list items), starting in LA at Aunt Donna’s would have given it away if I had not had the good fortune of already meeting Aunt Donna only a month into our relationship. I had no idea I was getting my own piece of the family tradition, even while it was happening!
After a long day of driving and enjoying the scenery, Jeff asked me if I’d mind pulling over for golden hour. Jeff is a photographer, so this was an extremely normal request. We walked along the beach and wondered over to the jetty. The views were gorgeous. “Let’s ask someone to take our picture!” Jeff suggested. He chose someone at random (it seemed) and posed next to me. Just as I noticed, strangely, that the man was using his own camera instead of Jeff’s to take our picture, Jeff said, “Babe, I know him.”
“What do you mean you know him?” I asked.
“He’s my friend. He’s here for this.” Jeff replied. I turned to face him, and he was already down on one knee.
