MARIA
& SAM

From New Hampshire and Tecamachalco, destiny brought us together in Washington, D.C. Though our careers may have led us to cross paths through similar circles in D.C., we met the modern way—which may have been for the best—as we connected outside of the typical well-dressed professional events, instead at a coffee shop on a Sunday, where we could let our guard down in ways we could not at a professional event. That first connection was on a personal level, where we immediately discovered many shared interests: travel, culture, languages, humor, food, and more. We found common values and life goals, and a shared belief that we both deserved companionship and happiness at this stage in our lives. We were curious and open to exploring what that might look like together.  And Maria was impressed on the first date that Sam was familiar with the vendors in Mexico City who drive around in trucks with a young girl's voice on a megaphone re-selling furniture and appliances. :)

 

After our first meeting, personal vacations in the U.S. and abroad in August placed us at a distance for over a month. However, we met again in early fall and found even more in common—especially in our desire not to waste time on small things, and instead to focus on our careers and dive into life fully. We jumped right in: going on hikes, exploring amazing restaurants, watching movies, driving to Shenandoah National Park, and introducing each other to our closest friends in D.C.

 

Within just two months, Sam was helping Maria move into a new apartment, and Maria was picking Sam up from the airport after a work trip to France... and even convinced him to go straight to a rooftop farewell party for a colleague, despite him having had virtually no sleep. :)

After about four months, Maria asked Sam to move in with her at the start of the new year. It felt like the natural next step. Sam left the suburbs and started his life in the West End neighborhood of D.C. Throughout 2024, we went on multiple trips—to Mexico, Colorado, New Hampshire—and introduced our families to each other.

 

Sam proposed to Maria in April 2024, on a warm, but foggy night on the Georgetown waterfront.  Sam had been planning to do so soon, but chose that night after Maria had had a particularly difficult week at work and wanted her to be happy.  We immediately began planning a wedding for early 2025. Maria even went wedding dress shopping in New York City.—but our plans changed when we found out we were expecting.

 

We continued traveling to Mexico, France and New Hampshire through the rest of the year. Amid busy schedules, we kept planning our wedding. Sabina, the love of our lives, was born on February 18, 2025. She has brought the greatest joy to our lives, and we are thrilled that one day she’ll be able to look at our wedding pictures and see that she was there in that precious moment with us.