How we met
Like all epic love stories, it began in France. In the summer of 2001, Elissa’s parents were teaching in a town called Antibes. Nathan’s family, who was traveling around France, came to visit for Bastille day, France’s independence day. Before a big festive dinner on the beach, Nathan and Elissa connected, but when the plates were cleared and the dance floor opened, they both were swept away by friends of Elissa’s brothers and never got to share the dance they both so wanted.
A few cherished but fleeting chances to see each other sparkled across the next 15 years like a magical constellation of twinkling stars. Until finally Nathan courageously told Elissa how he felt.
The Proposal
The next 4 years for Nathan and Elissa were filled with joy and adventure living in Sweden and Spain and deepening their love for each other and for other cultures. In July 2021, in Antibes, France exactly 20 years after that first magical evening together, Nathan dropped to one knee during a sunset beachside picnic as the boats clinked gently with the waves.
It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
-Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, from Le Petit Prince
