Our Story

Like many couples these days, Nick and Kelli met online through the dating app Bumble. After a bit of messaging back and forth, Nick finally asked Kelli to meet up on July 3rd, 2019 at Black Bottle in Bellevue for their first date. Both had very busy July schedules with travel so though they were talking daily, they did not have their second date until a month later. Most of their dates involved hiking and getting their two dogs, Sammi and Kemp acquainted, or meeting halfway between their houses in Kirkland for date nights. Nick got to meet Kelli's family for the first time when they went to her parents house to pick up Sammi after spending the day at the Ellensburg rodeo. Kelli's mom Roberta, told Kelli "He's tall ;)" The first time Kelli met Nick's family, was of course on the boat going to sailgate the Husky football game.

2020 was a very crazy year, and while it was bad for a lot of people, Nick and Kelli will tell you it's been one of the best of their lives. Quarantine allowed them a chance to grow closer by the day. Splitting time between Kelli's house in Newcastle and Nick's house in Mountlake Terrace, they used this time to continue growing their relationship to what we see today. By the time June rolled around, Nick knew it was time to make some moves. He began secretly laying a path, starting with asking his parents for their blessing, then his siblings and his grandmothers, then Kelli's siblings and finally......Kelli's parents.

Just over 1 year after their first date, on July 25th, 2020, Nick brought Kelli out to the the middle of Lake Union, got down on one knee on the bow of "Lil Red" and proposed. Kelli, after asking several times "Are you serious?!" finally said YES!!! Little did she know Nick had asked both of their families to gather at Nick's sister's house on Lake Washington where they were waiting for a surprise engagement party!