Bess & Niels

We matched on Hinge on Bess' 25th birthday! After an extended talking phase (shoutout to Niels' wisdom teeth removal), we finally met on 12/12/2020! A one hour walk turned into a 6 hour park picnic, and this marked the day Bess fell in love with… Kona! Oh, and she started dating Niels too (that's important).

For as fun as socially distanced dating was, we ventured beyond our bubble and visited the beautiful island of Maui. This much-needed getaway sparked our shared love of exploring the world together. It also made one thing clear: we wanted to keep adventuring side by side for a long time.

After a year of long weekend commutes and late night phone conversations, we moved in together! Bess was living in Mountain View, Niels in Fort Mason; we decided to meet in the middle in San Mateo. Little did we know that this city was going to be the place we called home for a very long time.

Luckily, our home base was just ten minutes from SFO, and we took full advantage. The next two years brought nonstop adventures with each other and our loved ones. From England with friends to the Galápagos, Mexico, and Hawaii with family, we felt incredibly lucky to explore the world together! Oh yeah, and can't forget the rush of Disneyland trips with Disney Adults.

While we cherished the memories made traveling the world, coming home to San Mateo always felt right. Whether it was Bay Trail walks with Kona or being greeted as regulars at Sushi Maruyama, we couldn't imagine calling anywhere else home. Before long, we were lucky enough to buy our little, blue house!

Buying a house wasn't the only big purchase of 2024. Soon after settling in, a ring was purchased, blessings were given (thank you, Ceci and Matt!), and Niels began to quietly scheme with his childhood best friend.

What began as a New Year celebration became a celebration of our love and future. Just as it had begun, we set out on a Kona walk with a detour through Fort Mason Park. Only this time, instead of 6 hours of conversation, Niels asked one question — and Bess said "yes!". At the place of our first date, with dear friends, a beloved dog, and champagne in hand, we got engaged!

And now, we're getting married. We feel incredibly lucky to have been surrounded by so much love and support along the way, and we can't wait to celebrate this next chapter with you.