Our love story began with a shared plate of sushi. Anne and Josh met at Kinjo Sushi in Calgary, thanks to our mutual friend, Tania Salazar, who introduced us. The conversation flowed easily, fuelled by our shared passion for travel. Despite the connection, Josh was too nervous to ask for Anne’s number that night, leaving her wondering if he felt the same spark. Fate, however, had other plans. A little nudge from Anne’s cousin, Jessame, and friend, Mikaella, who (unbeknownst to Anne at the time) took matters into their own hands and added Josh on Anne’s Facebook, opened the lines of communication. This bold move paid off! Josh, finally overcoming his initial shyness, asked Anne out.
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Our first date, a coffee at Starbucks then pizza dinner at Without Paper’s Pizza in Inglewood, was almost a disaster. A small before-date nap led to Anne being over an hour late, leaving a very patient Josh wondering if he’d been stood up, with cold coffees in hand. Thankfully, she eventually arrived, sleepy and apologetic and the rest, as they say, is history. Weekends were filled with drives between Olds and Calgary as our connection deepened. We never had an “official” first date or anniversary, simply counting our years together from that fateful pizza dinner in late January to early February 2020.
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Our budding romance faced a unique challenge: the COVID-19 pandemic. Dates were relegated to weekly Costco runs with a romantic poutine and hot dogs, a testament to our dedication to each other. Once restrictions eased, we embarked on our first trip together, exploring Toronto (Josh’s first time!). This trip solidified our shared love for travel, and since then, we’ve explored the world together, creating a tapestry of memories in destinations like London, across United Kingdom, Dominican Republic, California, Florida, Washington, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and many more, including adventures across Alberta and British Columbia.
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 The culmination of our love story arrived on Christmas Day 2024.  At Josh’s parents’ home in Pincher Creek, Josh, in a touching gesture, proposed to Anne in her native language, Tagalog.  Overwhelmed with joy, she said “Yes!”

Both families embraced us with open arms, delighted by their happiness.
 
Now, we’re planning a mini destination wedding in L.A. (Lethbridge, Alberta) in Canada on May 16, 2026, ready to begin our next chapter.