This Is Us
Steph was born and raised in Southern California. However, never one short on adventure, she’s called many places home from Washington DC to New York City to Siena, Italy! She works to travel and her bucket list keeps growing. Now she’s found her lifelong travel partner. A recent graduate from UCLA Anderson, Steph is a lifelong learner and is always seeking a new challenge. Next up – learning to speak Italian, photography lessons and living abroad again to name a few!
Justin’s Story
Justin was born and raised in Boise, Idaho…the opposite of SoCal to say the least. Always seeking adventure, he enjoys camping (just like Steph…LOL), skiing, fishing and being outdoors. Following completion of his Masters in Architecture at University of Idaho, Justin moved to Southern California in search of a jump start to his career. Since then he’s found new pastimes and grown his love for the beach and the sun (versus the freezing cold;)
How The Story Starts...
[timeline-express]
The Proposal...
July 19, 2018
This will forever be known as the biggest surprise of Steph’s life and the best kept secret of Justin’s. As Justin stated, this is the one thing he could orchestrate in their relationship! The trip to Peru was marking Steph’s UCLA graduation and would be the adventure of a lifetime for both of them. Experiencing the Sacred Valley and its historical ruins via hiking and biking was just the beginning. The superb dining, fine wine and hospitality were abundant throughout the entire journey including the phenomenal train ride to Machu Picchu. After an early wake up call and a downpour of freezing rain (Steph’s description), Steph, Justin and Joseph (their memorable tour guide) began their trek through the cloud forest. The fog engulfed the mountain for the first few hours and Justin patiently waited for the opportunity to present itself. As they wandered through the neatly stacked stones, they came upon a terrace overlooking the symbolic tree and ‘happy’ mountain. With the clouds now scattered, the scenery was more beautiful than ever and Justin knew this would be a perfect location. Justin handed Joseph his camera (which was not unusual), asked him to film this one with a wink and concealed the ring. With Steph posed for the photo, Justin knelt down on one knee and brandished the ring.
To say Steph was shocked is an understatement as Justin had made numerous hints in previous months that he didn’t have the ring. As she caught her breath and held herself up, she realized what was happening and said “YES!” Her amazement continued throughout the unbelievable trip of a lifetime. It may have been atop one of the New Seven Wonders of the World but it will always be the first wonder of their lives together.
