2022 turned out to be an exceptional year. Steve was living in St. John’s, working in marketing operations, surfing with his buds, playing in his indie rock band, The Eldest Young, and enjoying everything Portland has to offer. Cri had just moved back to Portland to take a travel contract at OHSU and was living in SE Portland, excited to be back in Oregon and be around her close friends. They had both tried their luck with dating in Portland to no avail, until it was as if lightning had suddenly struck and Cri swiped to see Steve’s profile on Hinge. She was instantly drawn in by Steve’s beautiful blue eyes, his soft smile, and his love for burritos and dogs (and his shirtless picture showing off his spearfishing hobby!). Steve was taken by Cri’s infectious smile, her love of animals and her minor obsession with cookie dough ice cream. Because of their immediate connection, they wasted no time and arranged to meet for ice cream on April 7th at Salt n Straw. 

In classic PNW fashion, it was raining that day, so together they thought, why not be inside nearby at Radio Room, have some snacks, and then get their ice cream once the rain stopped? This made for an absolutely perfect first date! Ever since that rainy day in April, Steve and Cri have been taking on the world together. Since Cri was a travel nurse, Steve got a chance to live in a couple of new cities, and they planned some amazing international trips in between her contracts. Along the way, they made some great friends, dealt with some hardships (i.e. the kitchen exploding), and lived long distance when Cri took a contract in Boston. They’ve traveled all over Europe, down to Mexico and Central America, and most recently, Japan, which is where they got engaged. Which brings us to now…

They’re living in North Portland with the newest addition to the family, Lana, a cute dog they adopted from Mexico. Steve has made some huge leaps and bounds in his career and is now working for the ultimate big boss, himself. Cri is working her final contract back in Portland at OHSU, the same place she was at when they met, and she’s gearing up to start a nurse practitioner program in January. They are happily engaged and are so excited to celebrate their wedding with all of you in April of 2026! Cheers!