Before she gave up on online dating, Areina and Andrew shared a love connection, bonding over one of their favorite places on earth: the ocean.
Photography by Jessica Hosey Imagery.
The Meet Cute
Once upon a swipe on Tinder, Areina — a hopeless romantic — was navigating the wilds of online dating. After countless frogs, she was ready to give up. Post-pandemic, she swiped right on Andrew, a handsome guy with an infectious laugh and a giant fish in a boat. “It was love at first swipe,” she says.”
The two bonded over their shared love for the ocean. When they officially began dating, it was the three of them: Areina, Andrew and his four-year-old daughter, Emma. As someone who had declared herself “Team No Kids,” Areina was hesitant. But meeting Emma changed everything. Not only did she fall for Andrew, but she and Emma became “mermaid besties,” kindred spirits drawn to water.
Today, they’re a family of five: Andrew, Emma, Peschi the cat, Meeme the puppy, and me. Our happiest days are spent at the beach, on boat rides, or traveling to treehouses up north. “Emma weekends” are always too short, but we make every moment count, building magical memories together.
The Proposal
This past Christmas Eve, at his family’s holiday dinner, Andrew shocked Areina by going down on one knee. Speechless, she could only nod “yes.” “In that moment, I knew I’d found my forever,” Areina says.”
