All one needs to do is spend 5 minutes with Belky and Bolivar to realize their love was kismet. So much so that Belky was even born in a small town in Ecuador called Bolivar. I know, crazy, right? Her birth certificate was a literal roadmap to her soulmate. Yet, ever the stubborn one, Belky chose the hard path to her destination.

Belky met Bolivar in 2015, working at T-Mobile. He was one of the new managers at her store and came in looking to work hard and make money. Meanwhile, Belky was looking to make money to travel and party hard. These two strong-willed individuals could not stand each other for the first few weeks. They bickered and argued like a debate team and had yet to realize how alike their personalities were. Their similarities eventually became known, and the squabbling stopped. Soon after, they formed a bond that lasted long after they both left T-Mobile, making this a story about friendship and how the connection between them blossomed into a fairytale romance.

Fast-forward a few years through traveling, beer halls, club nights, and hangovers, we now land into the pandemic. Even after all their adventures, romance did not play a part in Belky and Bolivar's story, at least not yet. It wasn't until August of 2020, when Belky dragged Bolivar on his first hike, that he started to see her in a new light. The pandemic put forth new challenges for many friendships. It became an obstacle that only the strongest of bonds overcame, and for these future lovebirds, it became a revelation of how indispensable they were in each other's lives. Without the cacophony of the everyday world to disturb them, Belky and Bolivar were presented with an incomparable opportunity to learn about each other on a deep, intimate & authentic level.

Now is where the magic starts to happen. Having realized that Belky was the perfect match for him, Bolivar starts yearning for time with her. So, being true to the crafty man that he is, Bolivar begins to orchestrate what can best be called "friend dates" that Belky and he would go on. Now, these weren't simply two friends hanging out anymore; these dates bordered on the romantic, and of course, that was the plan. Bolivar now had a goal in mind and was dead set on showing Belky he was the man for her. Meanwhile, Belky had her own Machiavellian plans in place. Unbeknownst to Bolivar, not only had she picked up his feelings for her, but she also reciprocated them, but was too stubborn to put herself in a position to be vulnerable. As much as she loved spending time with him, Belky wasn't sure Bolivar was ready to commit fully and refused to put her heart on the line. She was afraid because if she failed at love, she would be hurt again and risk losing him completely. But eventually, being friends didn't cut it anymore. Bolivar had grown into the man that she needed to trust with her heart; after all, he was the only one who had been able to steal it.

Having decided that Bolivar was now hers, she planned to make it official by planning a "friend date" of her own design. On March 5, 2022, Bolivar thought that Belky was taking him out to eat for a late celebration of his birthday as they had done so many times. Little did he know that she had intentions to do a little bit of wooing as well. After a night of grand gestures and treating him to some of his favorite foods and activities, Belky asked Bolivar to be an item, and without skipping a beat, he eagerly said yes with glee. Belky shot her shot and scored. Bolivar got his chance to love the woman he had so much passion for, and the flame they had for each other finally began to burn in unison.

After two trips, an abundance of foodie dates, and many nights together, Belky and Bolivar knew this was it, and they started contemplating the rest of their lives. It had been less than three months, but these two knew each other well enough to know they wanted marriage, and nothing would break them apart. Since then, it was another year full of world travels, including a trip to Greece, hiking, dying plants, speakeasies, home renovations, sunny beaches, begrudgingly attending rock concerts (Bolivar) and wrestling events (Belky), eating more than enough gourmet foods than a doctor would recommend, and lots, and lots of love. As a couple, so much was accomplished in their year together. They wanted to make up for so much lost time, and Bolivar didn't want to wait anymore to make Belky his wife.

It was September 30, 2023, with a ring in hand and a plan in place, Bolivar planned to propose to Belky that day. Coming off from a night of cow cuddling and a French dinner, Bolivar drove Belky to the Catskill Mountains to view waterfalls on another one of their much-beloved hikes. Unfortunately, they began their hike with some light rain, which made the terrain treacherous. Belky almost turned back to the car, thinking they couldn't get very far or see much. But as luck would have it, they ran into a trained hiking guide willing to safely escort them to some hidden gems deep in the Catskills (we later find out this wasn't luck, but rather part of Bolivar's plan). After an arduous trek into the mountains that caused Bolivar to fall three times, they finally reached the middle of one of the most awe-inducing waterfalls they had ever seen. As the rushing stream from the waterfall above them parted around the boulder they stood on, Belky could not help but gape at the magnificent view. She then turned to Bolivar only to find him on one knee with an open ring box proposing to her. Although the canorous sounds of the falling river kept her from fully capturing the words of his proposal, she knew that the only thing she would ever respond to him with was a resounding YES.

Now happily engaged, Belky and Bolivar are thrilled and anxiously awaiting the beginning of the next chapter of their lives together. They look forward to celebrating their fairytale love with family and friends on 11/11/2024.