Our Story
Shared across twelve plus years so far…
It all started in the halls of Arcadia High School. Howard and Audrey’s first official meeting unfolded in the stuffy yet spirited band room, where the trombonist and clarinetist found community in a world-renowned marching band. Curious by nature, Audrey set her sights on indoor percussion and reached out to Howard — who, as fate had it, had done it the year before — for guidance.
2012
The Meeting
Facebook Messenger chats soon became nightly winter-break rituals: syncing movies on separate laptops (shoutout to PutLocker), playing online multiplayer games like Fun Run, all culminating in a shy Valentine’s Day exchange of flowers and cards.
2013
The Sweet Freeze
In the wake of their shy Valentine’s exchange and non-official declaration of interest (it was high school, after all), they went ice skating. Howard arrived with flowers again… only to lose his courage and leave them in the trunk. A few months and a few dates later, on April 19th, he asked Audrey to be his girlfriend over cups of Yogurtland, soft-serve sealing the moment.
The Bear Years
2014—2018
After high school graduation and a season of long distance, they reunited as undergraduates at UC Berkeley. There, they gained far more than their degrees — sharpening their ambition and discipline during long hours of study, then lingering over favorite meals (California burritos at Crossroads, Godfather’s Favorite at Gypsy’s, fried chicken over fried rice at Thai Noodle 2) and spending entire days exploring the Bay Area.
They later moved to San Francisco, spending a half-year working in a pre-COVID city — fleeting, but sweet. LA followed soon after, bringing them closer to family. By then, travel had become a shared ritual: seven countries across Europe; a secluded camper-van journey along the Pacific Coast; a hiking trip in Patagonia where strangers felt like kin; and a dreamy Hawaii interlude with friends.
2019—2022
The Fresh Start
2023
The Homebase
After a brief month-long stay in Taipei, they moved in together and began the tender work of making a home for the first time. In true Cancer ♋︎ fashion, they built their homebase with intention — arranging and rearranging, imbuing every corner with care — from Koreatown to Hermosa Beach to Pasadena, each space anchoring this chapter of their life together.
As they prepared for their two-week campervan journey across Iceland, Howard quietly carried his plan, holding out hope for the moment when preparation met opportunity. On their second night, they stayed at Þakgil, a remote and breathtaking campsite.
It was there that the northern lights appeared for the first time for both of them —and in that shared moment of awe, he got down on one knee and.. well, you know what happened next…
The Proposal
2024
2026
We can’t wait to celebrate our marriage with you, our loved ones, on the beautiful island of Oʻahu soon in October 2026❤︎
The Wedding
Illustrations by our talented friend Iris @syntheticgoblin