Our Story

It all began on a crisp Saturday afternoon in June 2022 at the wedding of Max and Carina Thiemens. Amid the laughter and celebration, Rachel and David found themselves drawn together—striking up a conversation that led them right onto the dance floor. Even though fate called them back to their respective worlds—Rachel returning to Brussels and David catching a flight back to San Diego—a spark was ignited that neither could ignore. Just a few days later, when Rachel added David on Facebook, that initial spark quickly grew into a warm, burning flame.

In the months that followed, daily conversations filled with jokes, shared stories, and genuine care transformed their connection into something unmistakably special. David was continually amazed by Rachel’s charm and spirit. Standing at a crossroads, he decided to take a chance on love despite the long distance. With a carefully coordinated double date arranged through his dear friend Max, the two embarked on a journey that would turn a chance encounter into a lasting relationship.

For nearly six to seven weeks each year, whether it was Rachel flying to San Diego or David heading over to Brussels, every meeting became an adventure. They cherished moments exploring zoo trips, savoring quiet hikes along the beach, setting off fireworks on New Year’s Eve, marveling at the Redwoods in San Francisco, and sharing laughter over tequila in Tijuana. Despite the distance, every video call, every reunion, made their love grow even stronger.

By September 2024, during a visit when Rachel flew out to spend time with David—and to attend his sister Jessica’s wedding—a secret plan had been quietly unfolding. Unbeknownst to her, David had enlisted help from Rachel’s sister to explore engagement rings and map out a proposal that honored Rachel’s very special ground rules:

No public proposals,
Not before Jessica’s wedding, and
After spending at least a year living together.

Taking these conditions to heart, David began carefully orchestrating the perfect moment. With the help of his close friend Brady, he devised an ingenious plan centered around a special Wild Cat Tour at the San Diego Zoo. The ring arrived safely hidden in a shoebox, and David even loaded the box with some of Rachel’s favorite songs—just waiting to be revealed. On proposal day, armed with a large backpack for “snacks” (and his secret in tow), he navigated the tour with both excitement and nerves.

After an exhilarating day among the lions, tigers, and cheetahs, David suggested they capture the memories with a photo at the zoo. Initially hesitant, Rachel eventually agreed—and that very moment, as the camera started rolling, David knelt down and asked the question that would change their lives forever. With joy overflowing, Rachel said “yes.”

Now, as Rachel and David step into this new chapter, they can’t wait to celebrate their love with all of you. Thank you for being a part of their journey, for sharing in every laugh, every adventure, and now every promise of the future. They’re excited to embark on life’s path together—hand-in-hand, surrounded by the people who mean the world to them.

It all began on a crisp Saturday afternoon in June 2022, when Rachel and David were invited to wedding of Max and Carina Thiemens. They chatted at the party and found themselves on the dance floor. While they both felt that something special was in the air, Rachel had to drive back to Brussels and David had a flight back to San Diego. A few days later, Rachel friended David on Facebook, and then it lit a fire between them.

Over the next few months, they talked everyday, sharing jokes and stories. David could not believe how special Rachel is and he came towards a crossroads: End the relationship so they could focus on or see if this relationship could be a lot more despite all of the distance. He bought a flight and coordinated with his dear friend Max, and set up a double date. The date went very well and he and Rachel made a decision to keep going forward.

So for about 6-7 weeks a year, either David or Rachel would fly to one another. They went on many zoo trips, hikes along the beach, setting off fireworks on New Years Eve, traveling to see the Redwoods in San Francisco, and sipping tequila in Tijuana. Over the years and many video calls, their love continued to grow and it seemed like the right time to propose.

In September 2024, Rachel flew out to spend time with David and attend his sister, Jessica’s wedding. Unbeknowst to her, David had reached out to Rachel’s sister to discuss engagement rings and plan out proposal. Rachel had given David very restrict rules: 1) He could not do it in front of people, 2) He could not do it before Jessica’s wedding, and 3) They must live together for at least a year before he can propose. So he started a plan and reached out to his mate, Brady, and got inspired to do a special Wild Cat Tour at the San Diego Zoo. He received permission from his sister to do the engagement either before or after the wedding, although Jessica really would have preferred it beforehand so she could celebrate with them. Lastly he figured that since they have spent at least weeks at a time living with each other, that he could get a pass.

Now it was all about putting the plan together without her catching on.

The ring arrived and he managed to hide in a shoebox. In between breaks at work and Rachel was distracted, he loaded up some of her favorite songs into the box. Now, it was proposal day and he brought a pretty large backpack for “snacks”, and made sure to carry it carefully so that box didnt not accidently open and start playing music. They went on the Cat Tour and had a brilliant time getting so close to the lions, tigers, and cheetahs. Afterwards, David asked Rachel if she wanted to get a picture at the zoo to capture the day, but Rachel declined and said that she wanted to see more of the zoo and pick up some presents for her nephew. Every moment that passed left David nervous and that he would be found out.

As they were finishing up the day at the zoo, David tried one more time get a picture and to his delight, she said yes. So after the camera started rolling, he went down on one knee and proposed, and to his utmost joy, she said yes.

Now, Rachel and David can’t wait to celebrate the start of their next chapter with all of you. Thank you for being part of their lives, and for sharing in this momentous occasion. They’re excited to embark on life’s journey together, hand-in-hand, surrounded by the people they love most.