As we head into the cooler months of November and December, we know there is nothing better than a story that makes you feel warm and fuzzy! This success story from Tati and Katie warmed our hearts and we hope it does the same for you.
Names: Tati & Katie
City: Las Vegas
When you first saw each others’ profiles, what was it that stood out to you?
Tati: Katie posted a picture of her hiking, so I appreciated the natural look and the fact that I assumed she liked the outdoors and was active.
Katie: Tati’s smile just got me 🙂
What was your first date like?
Tati: We chatted on Plenty of Fish for the first couple of days and then Katie asked for my number to make it easier. I had learned that she was doing the same obstacle race I was doing the following weekend and she was doing it alone because her friend’s bailed on her. I didn’t want my friend to feel like the third wheel so I casually brought up Katie’s situation to see if my friend would be the one to suggest her join us. It worked! Also, having her join us I was able to gauge my friend’s first reaction to Katie as well.
We decided to go to Olive Garden prior to the race the day before – I was sitting in the parking lot waiting for Katie to arrive, and she had called because she wanted to be sure she was at the right location. The ring on my phone gave me the chills, my heart started racing, typical nervous jitters as I answered, trying to sound casual as I described where I had parked. As soon as we walked up to each other we greeted each other with a big hug of relief. Like FINALLY! We couldn’t stop smiling. Overall, that weekend we did a total of around 20 miles together. That’s love (laughs). We definitely pushed each other, lots of encouraging words, and she even did burpees for me for the Spartan Race because I had hurt my foot. I now know even more so how much that meant because she HATES burpees but she was so willing to help me finish.
Was there a specific moment you knew you wanted to spend the rest of your lives with each other?
Katie: After our first trip away to California for New Years. Tati met some of my family in San Jose and then we met up with my brother and his fiancé. It was after having such a good time with each other’s family that I knew I wanted to be with her forever.
When did you get married? Tell me about your wedding day!
Tati: We got married August 15th, 2020. Our original date was the 22nd and it was supposed to be in Hawaii but due to Covid-19 it got cancelled. Our families and a couple of close friends joined us for an intimate ceremony at Red Rock Canyon. We got ready separately and I didn’t see her till it was wedding time. It was amazing! I was so nervous.
How do you overcome challenges together?
Tati: Lot’s of talking. I honestly am more the type to shut down and have the mentality to sleep through it and tomorrow’s a new day. Katie likes to talk it through. I’ve come from relationships where the other person didn’t care as much, so we could just ignore each other and pretty much just dance around the real issues and be fine the next day. I feel now that we pretty much talk through everything and say what we’re feeling which is much healthier. We are able to acknowledge each others feelings and opinions in order to really solve the misunderstanding. And because we do communicate more, we don’t really have any major arguments.
From the beginning when we were texting only, we had been clear about what we were looking for. We disclosed our religious views, kids, career, education, goals, habits, etc. We didn’t want to start anything and have “surprises” pop up that would be a deal breaker.
Do you two have a shared guilty pleasure?
EATING! (laughs)
What are your favorite activities to do together as a couple?
Cuddle while we’re at home. Pre-Covid, do races together.
What’s something you two have bonded over?
Definitely bonded over our first race weekend and love earning medals together.
What made you want to try online dating?
Tati: I got out of a long term relationship and had no clue where to begin to get back in the dating field.
Katie: I wasn’t into the bar scene so I felt how else was I going to meet someone.
What do you admire about one another?
Tati: I admire the fact that she is a genuinely a good person. She is also definitely a lot more dedicated to the gym than I should be so it pushes me to try to be better.
Katie: I admire that Tati is a hard worker, #teamnosleep, and that she has close ties with my family.
What’s something you’ve learned from one another since you’ve been together?
Tati: I’ve learned that waking up at 4am to go the gym isn’t all that bad, gambling and drinking is not the only thing Vegas has to offer. I’m a cat person, and that it’s great to be with someone who likes to cuddle.
Katie: I learned that love can really be a two way street and that there was someone out there that could give the same amount of love back towards her.
What is one of your favorite memories from your time as a couple?
Tati: The night before Covid-19 lockdown, we decided to move all FIVE cats to my house and quarantine. Quite memorable transporting all five who had never been outdoors, let alone in a car with no crates.
Katie: Doing the half marathon together and Tati took a photo of us with a sign. Tati noticed the sign, hence why she wanted a picture but I didn’t realize what it said till after she showed it to me. It said, “Love you to the finish line and back.”
What special occasions or traditions do you love to celebrate together?
All of them. lol… any reason to celebrate and eat!
