In true Millenial fashion, we met on a dating app.
After exchanging a few messages we set our first date at McMenamins Edgefield on March 31, 2019, immediately connecting. What was planned as a quick glass of wine turned into a 4-hour date walking through the vineyard, eating lunch, and talking.
During our first few months together, we enjoyed all the amenities that Portland and Oregon offer. From the local food scene, to hiking in the Gorge, to exploring a Pixar exhibit at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, we took advantage of having new experiences together.
Traveling
Our first trip together was four months into our relationship to New Orleans, merely because neither of us had ever been, and the flight was on sale.
We’ve found our travel partners in one another averaging over 40,000 steps a day exploring the world from the Pantheon, the Vatican, the Colosseum and so many more historic sites . Even with the pandemic slowing us down, we’ve been to 5 countries, flown ___ miles, and driven countless miles together since July 2019.
Our Engagement Story
During a lull in the pandemic, we escaped to Italy for a couple of weeks of fun and relaxation. Between Ryan’s passion for visiting historic sites, Allyson’s Italian heritage, and our shared love of Caprese, pizza, and wine, it seemed like a perfect vacation.
Our itinerary was set to start in Rome, head south to the Amalfi coast, and finish in Capri. Ryan had planned several locations from the top of Mount Vesuvius to overlooking ancient Roman gardens to propose.
Three days into the trip, we took a ferry from Naples to spend a few nights in Forio on the Island of Ischia. Known for sunsets over a seemingly endless horizon, it was apparent to be the perfect place. After an hour watching the sunset with some local Italian wine, Ryan proposed on the hotel balcony as the evening turned to dusk.
Our Life Today
The past few months have continued to bring new and exciting changes in our lives.
In January 2022, we welcomed Theodore, an Australian Labradoodle, to our family.
In February 2022, we got the keys to our first home together in Portland, OR.