“They slipped briskly into an intimacy from which they never recovered.”

— F. Scott Fitzgerald

The bride and groom met over drinks, in Campbell, CA during the summer of 2022. They had been chatting via a dating app for a few weeks, as Oscar prepared for and recovered from knee surgery. Any skepticism Alexis had regarding their extended "talking phase" melted away as she pulled into the parking lot and stopped at the crosswalk to see Oscar hobble past her front bumper, crutches and all. Throughout the evening, she softened even more. Oscar divulged that he was nervous to meet her as he felt they had really connected so far. They related in regards to their families, both very close knit but not at all nearby. A mom apologized as a toddler insisted on inspecting Oscar's leg brace and he declared to the boy, "I'm a robot!". At the end of the evening, Oscar offered to walk Alexis to her car. She gestured towards his crutches, "It's ok". He replied, "I must" and they made their way across the parking lot. In turn, she then insisted on driving him to his car. Before exiting the vehicle, he placed a hand on her cheek and kissed her goodnight.

“To get the full value of joy, you must have someone to divide it with.”

— Mark Twain

As Summer transitioned to Fall, the bride and groom spent more and more time together. In October, Alexis was headed to Kansas for her niece's birthday party, it was the perfect opportunity for Oscar to meet her family. This was his introduction to what would become routine weekend commutes for birthdays and holidays: A rush of gift wrapping and party prep, elaborate themes, competitive games, late nights, and lots of laughs. Alexis even volunteered Oscar for an outing with her nieces and nephew, squeezing in a lunch buffet, arcade visit, and, of course, Target. He easily fit into the fold. Alexis appreciated Oscar's willingness to participate in her family's plans and antics. Oscar admired Alexis' care for her family. It must have been a success, for a few weeks later Oscar dove head first into a Disneyland Thanksgiving family vacation, matching shirts and all.

“Traveling in the company of those we love is home in motion.”

— Leigh Hunt

One year later, the bride and groom had another niece's birthday to celebrate. This time, they were off to Sweden to meet Oscar's niece and attend her first birthday party. Alexis was nervous and excited to finally meet some of his family. Oscar hadn't seen his brother in years. They packed their bags and headed to the airport. While browsing duty free, Oscar checked his messages and noted that his dad would also be meeting them in Stockholm. Alexis quelled her nerves at this sudden update by stocking up on last minute gifts. They spent the first day of their trip walking through Gamla Stan, touring the royal armory, and taking the long way home. Oscar's dad, brother, and sister-in-law were so warm and welcoming, the day moved right along. After arriving at their home, Oscar was asked to answer a delivery, only to find his mom in the doorway. After years apart, his family was all together again. Alexis held back tears as she watched them reunite, it was clear how deeply they loved and how much they missed each other. They spent the next few weeks with his family, seeing sites, playing games and sharing meals. Alexis marveled at how easy it was; they reminded her so much of her own family. For Oscar, the trip felt almost too short...

"This is what I imagine love to be: incompleteness in absence"

— Edmond de Goncourt

While the bride and groom were enjoying time with family in Stockholm, they waited to hear back from the embassy that Oscar's visa had been processed. They had been told to plan for two to three weeks, but as their trip passed the third week, it became clear that Alexis would need to head back west and Oscar would need to wait a bit longer. Weeks turned to months as Sweden became dark and snow covered and they continued wait. Alexis was able to visit again for Christmas, the nine day trip being much too short a reprieve from their time apart. On the last night of her visit, over New Year's Eve dinner at the Grand Hotel, they reminisced about the goals they had set and reached during the year. They had moved in together, both had taken on new jobs, they met baby Sofia, Alexis climbed Mt. Whitney, and Oscar launched his VR app. They pondered what goals they should set for the year to come, and getting engaged was the first on the list. The next morning, they once again had to part just before airport security, with no idea of when they would be together again. As if they needed clarity on how essential they were to each other, the separation left them with an acute feeling of amputation. They filled the gap as best they could with phone calls in the late nights and early mornings and weekend movies over Facetime. In the end, it was over five months of waiting, before Oscar was able to come back home. They embraced at the San Fransisco International arrivals gate, relieved to be made whole again. Their world was back in order.

"Love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction.”

— Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Once Oscar returned home, the bride and groom had just a couple quiet weeks before they were off to Napa for a weekend trip with friends. They met up with the group Thursday evening for a tasting and enjoyed more wine and delicious food throughout the following day. However, Oscar had a day of surprises planned for Saturday. Knowing Alexis’ penchant for fancy hotels, he drove them to the Bardessono to check-in for the night. She savored the beautiful surroundings as they enjoyed lunch at Lucy Restaurant, followed by massages at the hotel’s spa. Aftwards, Oscar had scheduled a tasting and tour at Rutherford Hill, as Alexis continued to be delighted with each surprise. Finally, their next stop was dinner at the Auberge du Soleil, a Michelin Star restaurant. Oscar knew that Alexis had been pining to try a restaurant with “una estrella” and it was an experience they savored. Oscar enjoyed spoiling Alexis and it was a special thing, to indulge together. After dinner, they returned back to the hotel where the room had been transformed with flowers and candles. He took her out to the balcony for some air and got down on one knee.