Join us in the Lovers Corner with couples we admire this Valentine's season. We're sharing the story of Nicole and Gareth, a freelance journalist and UX/UI designer who served Post Flirtation Red and White at their gorgeous PNW wedding in 2024. Get to know them below!
Firstly, can you introduce yourselves and tell us how long you’ve been together.
Howdy, we’re Nicole and Gareth! Nicole is from the central coast of California and a freelance journalist who writes about travel, food & wine, and design. Gareth is from Chicago and a UX/UI designer who also has a background in sound and music. Right now we are traveling overseas working remotely and exploring new and exciting places. (As we type this, we are in Collingwood, a small coastal town on the south island of New Zealand!) We had our first date in March of 2019, so we’ve been together almost 6 years and married around 6 months.
Can you tell us a sweet memory from your first date?
A few days before our first date on March 25th, Nicole mentioned to Gareth that her birthday was a couple days later on March 27th, to which he quickly responded that his birthday was a couple days after that on March 29th. Little did we know on that first date that we’d be celebrating our anniversary and both of our birthdays in the same week…every year for the rest of our lives.
What’s a favorite moment you’ve shared over a bottle of wine (and what the wine was, if you remember!)
In early 2023 we were doing a backpacking trip in New Zealand along the Abel Tasman coast and were camping at a beautiful cove beach for the night. Gareth agreed to carry a (heavy!) bottle of wine in his pack so we could enjoy it that evening and when we walked out to the beach to enjoy our Martinborough Pinot Noir we spotted a gigantic stingray and its sweet tiny baby swimming side by side incredibly close to the turquoise-hued shoreline. The sun was setting, wine was flowing, stingrays swimming—doesn’t get much more magical than that.
Are there any meals (at home or out at a restaurant) you particularly enjoy sharing?
We’re big fans of Alison Roman’s chickpea stew recipe and cook it quite often. Best paired with a zippy white wine!
What ways do you integrate play in your everyday life?
‘Secret Date Night’ is a tradition we started a few years ago, which is basically when one of us plans a date and keeps the details hidden until the last possible moment. It doesn’t have to be anything extravagant, but there’s something quite playful about the whole process that keeps things exciting and intentional in our relationship. We do around one a month and take turns planning.
FILL IN THE BLANK
A stoop is the perfect occasion for a glass of wine.
We feel most playful when we’re: with old friends and family.
Our favorite thing to do together is: hike and bike.
Photos courtesy of the couple.
