Our Story
“I knew it was actually a date because she sent a blushing smily face emoji”
— Benjamin
“On our first date, I wanted to kiss him so I put down the tiniest beach towel so we’d be close”
— Rose
How it started
In 2016, we were set up by mutual friends who decided we had to meet. They arranged a double brunch date in Santa Rosa, California. Funny enough, we both tried to cancel that morning. Each of us texted our friend, hoping to bail, only to get the same one-word reply: “No.” So, we went and crossed our fingers that the other person wasn’t weird.
That brunch turned into something unexpected. We both remember thinking the other was very cute and interesting. There was a spark!
We parted ways after brunch and texted for a few weeks. To Rose, things were great! We chatted about our businesses, things we were up to, and cracked a few jokes. To Ben, Rose was cute and friendly, but not exactly flirty (news to Rose!). We started talking about meeting up again, and it wasn’t until Rose sent a blushing smiley face emoji that Ben knew he was in.
Falling in love
At the time, we lived an hour and a half apart - Rose in Healdsburg, Ben in Emeryville.
For our first official date, we chose Tiburon, a little coastal town halfway between us. It was Super Bowl Sunday, and the streets were almost completely empty. We had the town to ourselves. Over brunch in the marina and a meandering drive to Limantour Beach, we talked and laughed for hours. Though her digital flirting may not have been so obvious, Rose’s in person flirting was a lot more savvy. As the sun set on the beach, Rose put down a sneaky little beach towel on the sand, one that obviously was way too small for two people to sit on so you had to get close. Our first kiss felt really special. Neither of us wanted the day to end.
A week later, Rose unexpectedly broke her wrist. Ben likes to say that sealed the deal with their relationship. Rose is very independent and suddenly, everything from cooking to tying shoelaces was difficult to do alone. Ben showed up with kindness, patience, and snacks. Lots of snacks. We fell into rhythm quickly and being together felt happy and right.
Building a life together
About a year and a half later, we moved in together into a tiny apartment in Petaluma, California. We adopted a cat and named her Sourdough and filled our home with cozy routines.
At the time, we ran our businesses and worked really long hours. We would often meet after work at one of our locals and belly up to the bar, chatting late about our days and enjoy quality time together with no distractions.
With adventure on our mind, we spent a month in 2019 traveling across Northern England, Scotland, and Ireland. We explored historic cities, enjoyed a wee dram, drove through gorgeous scenery, and planted a seed for later in Edinburgh.
A leap across the ocean
During the pandemic, we felt a big pull towards change. So we made a decision that would shape our next chapter: we closed our long-time businesses, packed up our life into two suitcases, and moved to the United Kingdom.
Together, we built something new from the ground up. Our adventure began in York, England and we settled into life abroad. We learned how to understand a thick Yorkshire accent, where to find eggs in the grocery store (hint, not in the refrigerator!), and how to appreciate an afternoon tea and biscuit.
Home became where we’re together, rather than where we’re from.
The proposal
In August 2024, on a quiet getaway to the seaside town of Alnmouth, Ben proposed. Rose thought it was just a weekend escape and had no idea!
After checking into our sweet little BnB, we picked up sandwiches and wine and headed to the beach. Leading up to the proposal, Ben kept nudging for the best snacks, the nicest wine, and even rushed out to buy a nice pic-nic blanket to bring. Still, Rose still had no idea. Ben is always really thoughtful with his actions, so she thought it was just him being sweet and perhaps feeling a bit extra fancy.
As we settled into the sand, Ben began talking about everything we’d shared over the past ten years - our adventures, milestones, and big changes. Then, he reached into his bag, and that’s when Rose finally realised what was happening.
Ben proposed. We cried, we laughed, we cheered, and we celebrated. It was the perfect day
A new chapter
In early 2025, we moved to Edinburgh, the city that had captured our hearts on that first trip years earlier. It’s now the place we call home, and near where we’ll say I do in July 2026, surrounded by our favorite people, celebrating ten years of love, adventure, and growing side by side.
