“I have never known Tess without her purple hair up until a couple months ago. I met her with purple hair, we dated when she had purple hair, we got married when she had purple hair.”
Eric and Tess are stellar. While incredibly confident, cool, and extremely likeable, at the root of their souls lies so much more. So many dreams, complexities, and a unique love that’s catered to their creator and specific to each other.
I don’t know when I started to be intentional about telling couples’ stories. I don’t know how they got longer and longer, and I don’t even know why you’d be interested in reading another sappy story about lovers you don’t know. I don’t know if it’s for me, or them, or you, but I never go into it with a pen and paper. These are usually conversations we’ve had. I don’t prepare any questions, but for some reason, there are really significant events and phrases that I won’t ever forget. It may be a weird personality quirk. I mean, I’ve always had a really, really good memory, creepy sometimes, but more so, it’s easy for me to think back two weeks ago and just start typing. I guess it’s good for a few reasons. I’ve found that it’s really fun for people to talk about their firsts, their favorites, their aspirations. I mean, according to Tess and Eric, “No one really cares since we’re married already. No one asks us these stories anymore. We haven’t even thought about it in awhile, and it’s…nice.” Another thing is that I get to practice being a good listener. I have a tendency to interrupt people, to ask questions mid-sentence. I’m trying to get better with that, but sometimes I get so invested and interested in your story that I come off as rude. And the sappiest reason of them all? I’m a romantic. I love a good love story, especially the real kind. It reminds me that love is a gift and that I don’t have to be a cynic. Marriage is important and maybe it will inspire someone out there to not give up, to keep dating their loved one, to find something to relate to. So that’s that.
Back to them.
Tess and Eric met at church. Tess actually knew Eric’s brother, and they were introduced at this workshop/conference type event called yelō at their church. We seriously bonded over this topic because the conference was focused on StrengthsFinder and the Myers-Briggs Test, helping people realize and unlock their strengths to better contribute to humanity. I don’t know what started it, but I have been thinking about these two tests non-stop lately. I took both awhile ago, but more recently, I’ve found myself intrigued to know what my friends are and can’t stop asking everyone if they know their top 5 strengths. This is partly attributed to being on staff at my church who uses it, but also, it’s so easy to get caught up talking about ESFPs and INTJs and opposites and quirks and needs and wants.
Eric noticed her and her purple hair from the beginning, but Tess, being a really, outgoing person who smiled and talked to everyone, who really knew what she was thought about him? Tess went to school for fashion and Eric went to school for business economics. Two very different worlds, two very different jobs, but hey, opposites attract! However, I wouldn’t really say that they were complete opposites. All I can say is that what each person, each entirely whole and independent person had, they just brought out the best in each other to make two really exponentially great people. The dating period was a slow one. Interest for each other peaked gradually and there were a lot of hangouts with mutual friends. I recall that they spent hours on the Newport Peninsula talking to each other until sunrise because Eric invited Tess to hangout because “all his friends are out of town”. Sly guy. The dating thing wasn’t brought up for two whole weeks, but being at the beach for hours with someone else is just a relationship begging to be started. Tess even said there was this one day where I just said, “So am I your girlfriend yet?!”
After finally dating and a lot of commuting for school and work, Eric planned to propose in LA. He had the perfect location. However, the one day that he wanted to propose, these crazy camera crews (what could they possibly be doing in LA?) were filming at the location he had planned. A lightbulb went off and Eric switched locations to an alley which he recalled that Tess mentioned it would be a cool place to get married.
Tess and Eric live in LA with their sweet dog, Edison who loves his pillow.
