Daniella & Mark

When people hear that we met in Las Vegas, their minds inevitably go to cliched clubs, neon lights at all-night casinos, and larger-than-life hotels on the Strip. But our story is less flashy and, we think, more magical than that.

When the Raiders broke ground on a new stadium, thirty young sports professionals flocked to Las Vegas. Mark took a position in sales while Daniella worked in client services. We remained work acquaintances for over two years, with Mark sitting behind Daniella. Then one afternoon Daniella found something on her desk. "Dinner @7:45," the slip read.

And Mark’s gamble paid off. Later that night, we ate homemade pasta and drank BYOB wine at a quaint Italian restaurant in Henderson. As she arrived at the table, Dani worried that they’d have nothing but work to talk about, but three hours later, as the restaurant began to clear out, she realized that they had more to connect on than office gossip. Mark was impressed that, instead of picking daintily at a salad, Daniella scarfed down a plate of lasagna, finished his leftovers, and still insisted on ordering the tiramisu. Though neither of us mentioned it, we both felt sure that there would be many dates to follow.

 Two months later, Mark accepted a job with the PGA TOUR in San Antonio. Rather than folding our hand, we decided to go all-in and embrace a long-distance relationship. Then the stakes got even higher. While Daniella was visiting Mark, pandemic-era quarantine measures locked down all travel. Her weekend trip turned into a three-month stay during which she lived out of a carry-on backpack.

 What better way to truly get to know someone than house arrest in a one-bedroom apartment? While the pandemic wreaked havoc all over the globe, our time together was a blessing by way of disaster. We joked that if we could survive side-by-side in an 800 square-foot apartment, we could handle anything.

 After four years, countless flights, and a breathtaking proposal, the stars finally aligned, allowing us to move to the same city (in a bigger apartment!). Far from the flashing lights of Vegas, we now call Dallas, Texas, our home. We’ve loved every page of this new chapter in our life, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.