Sometimes life doesn’t whisper. It reroutes you.
In 2023, Ross left Ireland for a fresh start in Canada, landing in Thunder Bay with no idea what was ahead. Then work threw him a curveball. A sudden relocation. Two options: British Columbia or Alberta. Alberta replied first. Calgary it was.
Somewhere between packing up his life and driving west, we matched on Tinder.
On March 4th, 2024, we met for the first time and went for a long drive that night. Fifteen minutes in, Marissa was absolutely convinced there would not be a second date. Irish humor, as it turns out, requires a warm-up period. But by the end of that very same evening, we were talking about dreams, futures, and possibilities neither of us had dared to imagine before.
Something shifted that night. And it never shifted back.
We became inseparable almost immediately. By the second time Ross met Marissa’s grandma, she casually asked, “So when’s the wedding?” In hindsight, she may have seen it before we did.
Even though everything felt natural and easy, we took our time. Marissa gave herself space to reflect and grow before stepping into something new. Ross, steady and patient as ever, waited beside her. On July 28th, 2024, we made it official. Not long after, a “one-night sleepover” quietly turned into moving in together.
By January 2025, we were sharing a home, a rhythm, and a peace we didn’t know we’d been searching for. Loving each other has felt less like falling and more like finding. We healed parts of ourselves we didn’t even know needed healing.
People say, “When you know, you know.”
For us, that moment was March 4th.
And now, we can’t wait to celebrate this next chapter with the people who have supported us, cheered us on, and yes, asked about the wedding before we did.
Thank you for being part of our story.
This was the day it all changed; Ross had planned a walk that evening for him and Marissa, though she was unaware Ross was carrying the thing that would seal them together for the rest of their lives.
This is our trip with Marissa's brother and sister-in-law to try the best Hot Chocolate in Banff!
A photo from the day that Ross and Marissa moved in together!
Ross's first Diwali with Marissa's family.
Ross attending his first Lohri with Marissa's family in his first Kurtha!
This was a special day for Marissa and Ross. The day their families met was a day that the couple will not forget. Having an intercultural relationship has its difficulties; however, seeing our parents unwavering support for us was so special.