Sarah had been navigating the world of online dating for a while. Andony? He only needed one date.
The two matched on a dating app in December of 2020, trading messages through the holidays before deciding to finally meet. It was peak pandemic, so they kept things simple: an outdoor walk at Bald Hill.
A few days later came lunch. Then, just a week after that, Sarah's father passed away. Life slowed down.
Instead of rushing forward, they kept showing up for one another. They built shared playlists. They talked about everything. They got to know each other through long conversations and quiet consistency.
By March, they were road-tripping together beneath the towering redwoods of Northern California. They've been chasing new trails and new adventures ever since.
Sarah had mentioned that if Andony ever proposed, she'd love for it to happen on a scenic overlook or a mountain summit. By the summer of 2024, marriage wasn't a question of if. It was when.
The two planned a trip to Bragg Creek, just outside Calgary, where they'd spend their days hiking and trail running through the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. One destination stood above the rest: Forget Me Not Mountain.
The peak already carried deep meaning for Andony. It was one of his father's favorite places, and after his dad passed away, it became somewhere Andony returned to remember him. At the summit sits a cairn his father built by hand—a tradition Andony continues by adding a few more rocks each visit.
Sarah quietly wondered if this might be the place. On a crystal-clear day at the end of August, they reached the summit together. Andony asked Sarah to play her favorite song—The Story by Brandi Carlile. He shared everything he'd been carrying in his heart. Then he asked her to marry him. Sarah very happily said “YES!”. After calling Sarah's mom with the news, they celebrated the way that felt most fitting: taking photos, adding more stones to the cairn, and beginning the hike back down together.
Andony asked Sarah to play her favorite song—The Story by Brandi Carlile. He shared everything he'd been carrying in his heart. Then he asked her to marry him. Sarah very happily said “YES!”.
When it came time to choose an engagement ring, Andony knew exactly what mattered.
He wanted to work with a small, local jeweler with modern designs and was thoughtfully made. Most importantly, he wanted a ring Sarah could actually wear that fit her adventurous lifestyle. He found exactly that at Fiina by Betsy & Iya.
A month after the proposal, the two returned together to find the perfect wedding band.
The one they chose curves gently around the engagement ring—like a little mountain wrapping around the place where their next chapter began. “The ring feels unique,” Sarah said. "It’s incredibly special and sparkly, and a rare mix of classic beauty with a modern twist that fits our love story and lifestyle.”
“The ring feels unique,” Sarah said. "It’s incredibly special and sparkly, and a rare mix of classic beauty with a modern twist that fits our love story and lifestyle.”
These days, life is filled with the kind of projects that slowly turn a house into a home: planting flowers, working in the garden, adding a backyard sauna, inviting friends over, and dreaming up their next trail running destination.
They're just as excited about the everyday moments as they are the passport stamps. Because that's always been the foundation of their relationship.
Showing up.
Exploring together.
Finding joy wherever the trail leads next.
Their wedding reflected that same spirit. They exchanged vows during an intimate mountain elopement in Washington's North Cascades, surrounded by their moms, Sarah's dog, Millie, and a handful of close friends. A few days later, they celebrated with a reception back home featuring a gnome scavenger hunt, food truck pizza, a slideshow of memories, and a dance floor full of the people who helped them get there. Then they packed their bags once again—this time for a honeymoon through Venice, the Dolomites, and Austria.
Some adventures begin with a swipe.
Some begin at the top of a mountain.
For Sarah and Andony, they're all part of the same story.
