Our Story
It all started when Katie asked Sebastien to carpool
...twice
Back in August of 2019, Katie and Sebastien were leaving work around the same time. Katie politely asked Sebastien where he was headed. He replied, "Culver City." To which Katie responded with, "No way! I live in Marina Del Rey; we should carpool!" Sebastien declined saying "No, I'm bad with commitments..."
A month later, in late September, Katie and Sebastien were walking together again; only this time 30 minutes late to work. Katie, having forgotten about their previous discussion, asked Sebastien where he commutes from and if he'd like to carpool. Unlike the last time, Sebastien agreed and they exchanged phone numbers. Their plans were confirmed after a brief text message conversation. The next morning, Sebastien drove over to pick up Katie; starting their daily routine and leaving behind days of sitting in LA traffic alone.
The First Date
While driving home from work one day, Katie had an urge to stop by Alibi Room in Culver City for some delicious crispy fries. As they ordered the food, Sebastien inquired about Katie's plans for the weekend, to which Katie said she had none.
"Not even on Friday, Valentine's day?"
"Nope," Katie replied, leaving out the virtual date she had tentatively planned with a guy she met online.
Later, while driving back to Katie's apartment, Sebastien "stealthily" suggested a movie at the AMC they were passing by. Katie excitedly agreed, and the date was set for Friday!
Friday rolls around and the two found themselves stuck in the heaviest traffic they had ever seen together. Katie and Sebastien were not able to make it to a movie at the AMC theater, but agreed to go on a real date on Sunday evening.
Sebastien obtained a reservation at an amazing Italian restaurant in Ocean Park Santa Monica. They walked along the ocean front at sunset and got happy hour appetizers at surrounding bars. Pictured is the selfie they took to commemorate the occasion.
The
Proposal
Dating for over a year in the midst of a pandemic, offered Sebastien and Katie ample time to discuss plans for their future. After having a talk with the in-laws-to-be, the couple decided to take advantage of their strong partnership, and sought out a jeweler together. Once the ring had been obtained, the final step was for Sebastien to pop the question; fortunately, this was entirely up to him and easy to keep a secret.
Sebastien being the sweet and sentimental man he is, made plans for many weekend adventures across southern California. From Palm Springs to Catalina Island, he guaranteed the proposal would be a surprising and exciting occasion!
On one sunny Sunday morning, Katie took Sebastien to run some errands in Manhattan Beach. That same morning, Sebastien decided it was the perfect opportunity and wouldn't let the moment pass. The two got into Manhattan beach early, shared a casual breakfast and some coffee, then started walking down to the pier. Despite the heat and endless shops offering a distraction, they arrived at the spot. The same spot where Katie and Sebastien once took a selfie together as "just friends," the day after Katie's birthday over a year prior.
At first, Katie didn't believe him. Minutes ago Sebastien had gotten on one knee pretending to tie his flip-flops, but as his hand fumbled to pull a little black box out from his pocket, reality set in: The time had come to make their statement to the world and commit to one another. The picture taken was a simple selfie to perfectly mirror the one taken a year and two months prior by two "just friends" at the Manhattan beach pier.
February 2020
