How it all began
Angela & James
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Angela and James went to the same schools growing up and even briefly were “boyfriend and girlfriend” in middle school. The summer before high school, James moved to Idaho and they lost touch.
When he returned during their sophomore year, Angela noticed he had grown taller and stronger— likely thanks to a steady diet of Idaho potatoes. They reconnected in math class, and shortly after, James began showing up at the basketball games where Angela was working as the Yearbook photographer. She couldn’t help but notice how often he "went to the games." She started asking him if he was going, and when he did show up, he would always end up chatting with her whenever she made her rounds to take photos. It was clear they both had more than just the game on their minds.
Their friendship continued to grow, until one night, James asked Angela to be his girlfriend.
Angela was hesitant at first and said, “I don't want to lose you as a friend.”
“Well I guess we just can never break up then,” he responded.
At that moment, their souls seemed to make an unspoken agreement—to never truly part. They officially became boyfriend and girlfriend on May 15th, 2010.
“Never” lasted for two years, before they parted ways for college. Time and distance separated them, which allowed them to grow into adulthood with an understanding of who they were as individuals, but souls have a funny way of staying in touch.
In 2015, during Thanksgiving break, they met up again in their hometown at the local pool hall, and something felt different. They began texting more and more each day. That year for Christmas, Angela was on the other side of the country visiting her sister, but when she flew back to California on January 4, 2016, she jokingly told James to come visit her. Not long after, she got a call from him "I am in my car right now, should I come to visit you or should I stay in LA?”
Her response: “Come visit me.”
That day, James drove from LA to Santa Barbara and got a speeding ticket on his way to see Angela. Since then, it has become clear that no matter what life throws at them, their souls have made a silent pact to never truly be apart.
Be part of the celebration on May 15, 2025, as they continue to embark on the adventures of life together.
How He Proposed
In June of 2022, James and Angela set off on a hike to Yosemite’s Hidden Falls, their hearts already full of excitement for the adventure ahead. After a mile or so into their journey, the relentless bugs began to swarm, and James, trying to keep the moment perfect, suggested they turn back to grab some bug spray. Angela, oblivious to his deeper concern, insisted she was fine to continue, but after a moment of hesitation, they retraced their steps. After grabbing the spray and a sandwich from the gift shop, they began their hike again, now more determined than ever. James had visited the falls a decade earlier, but in the years since, the details had slipped his mind—he wasn’t sure which side of the river the falls actually were. Still, he was steadfast, knowing this would be the place.
Along the way, they crossed the river at a shallow point, and in the process, Angela lost one of her socks, but her laughter only made the moment feel more lighthearted. They pressed on, finding their way to the hidden waterfall, a secret tucked away just for them. The rocks surrounding it were positioned perfectly for climbing, so they scaled their way to the top—no easy feat, but their teamwork made it feel effortless. It was there, at the peak, with the sound of the waterfall cascading behind them, that James knelt down and proposed, forever marking this magical moment in the heart of Yosemite, a place that had witnessed the beginning of their new chapter.
And the rest is history
