Jess and Brendon met on Tinder, a popular dating site… they are a #TinderSuccessStory.
When Jess first saw Brendon’s profile, she almost swiped left because of the cheesy last line in his “About Me” description: “Adventures, beers, bikes, triathlon, my dog, travel, fashion…all things I love. My piercing blue eyes wanna meet your sparkling smile…let’s get lost.” But then she decided that his piercing blue eyes enticed her just enough to make her swipe right after all.
On July 27, 2014, Brendon casually messaged Jess on the Tinder app. True to her nature, Jess was direct and got straight to the point. Their first exchange went like this:
Brendon: Hi Jess, how’s your weekend going? Any fun plans for today?
Jess: Hey Brendon, my weekend’s going well — heading down to Redondo later to see a friend’s band. What about you — fun plans for today? Where do you live? What do you do? What’s your dog’s name? And how about we grab a beer sometime :)?
Brendon: Hi, that sounds cool! I was in Huntington Beach for the US Open of Surfing…so much fun! I live in Santa Monica and I am a Sales Manager for a fashion brand here in LA, what about you? My dog’s name is Bondi…he is truly so amazing! :) A beer sometime sounds great! How about Tuesday?
Jess: Tuesday is perfect. And so is Santa Monica — I’m in Culver City :). Let me know what time works for you and where. Looking forward to meeting!
Brendon (next day): Sounds great! My # is XXX-XXX-XXXX so we can chat off Tinder :). Tomorrow around 7:30 should be good, in SM? How is a drink at the top of Shangri La?
On July 29, 2014, Jess and Brendon met at the Hotel Shangri-La in Santa Monica. It was Jess’s first Tinder date ever and she was a little bit late because of an Uber mishap, but Brendon was very understanding and they hit it off right away. After a couple round of drinks, Brendon told Jess that he was having a good time…would she like to go to dinner? Jess eagerly agreed and they dined at The Misfit a few blocks away.
Five hours later, Brendon asked when he could see Jess again…perhaps that weekend? Jess told him that she was busy — she was going to be bartending for a lesbian wedding in Tehachapi. Brendon thought Jess was blowing him off — he even Googled “Tehachapi” because it didn’t sound like a real place.
But Jess was telling the truth! And they went on their second date that Sunday after she got back in town. Jess impressed Brendon with her eating skills at dinner, Brendon impressed Jess with his singing skills at Karaoke Night, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Jess: “It sounds crazy, but I knew he was 'The One' after four and half weeks of dating. I even remember the exact day — August 31, 2014.
There were so many things that I liked about Brendon while getting to know him in those first few weeks — he was such a strong, confident, capable and intelligent man…and it helped that he was ridiculously good-looking and a dog-lover :). I also appreciated that he liked to have a good time (dancing, drinking, singing) and was always up for an adventure.
I had told Brendon that I’d always wanted to go skydiving, and his immediate and supportive response was, “Well then, let’s go!” And so a month after we met, we jumped out of a plane together over Lake Elsinore. That in itself was an incredible shared experience, but it was what happened afterwards that captured my heart.
I felt nauseous, and he took care of me after the jump, through lunch and on our way to meet up with my best friend, Karen, and her family in Temecula. It was Brendon’s first time meeting the people in my life who are my second family. And over glasses of sangria, each one of them saw a man who had a compassionate soul, who treated me well, who had a joyful spirit, and who shared the same outlook on life as me. It was then that I knew that he was my perfect match, and a few days later, on September 2, our relationship became “Facebook official.”
In the two and a half years that followed, Brendon and I have shared so many adventures, each one better than the last. I don’t even hold it against him that he is a fake Trojan (he didn’t even go to USC; he’s a UCSB grad!). But he makes up for that flaw by being the best shopping partner (well, tied for first with my sister) and travel companion, and a master of the grill. We are two Scorpios that make one damn good team :).”
Brendon: “For me it wasn’t a date, time and place, but more of a feeling that I had. On July 29, 2014, I met a strong, confident, independent woman who was not only beautiful, but also smart, sassy and adventurous. She, like I, was up for anything, and I was instantly attracted to her wit and love of life. Our first date was for sure a good one, but it was the second date that really opened my eyes to the possibilities of a future with Jess. The weeks ahead were indescribable, and on that day at the beach when I asked her to be my girlfriend (to which she did not respond definitively), I knew there could be a future for us. She not only made me feel like the luckiest man alive, but also like I could conquer the world. Her confidence gave me more confidence. We soon after confirmed our relationship and in the coming months, our love for one another grew. What really sealed the deal for me was the way she was so warm and supportive towards my family and even more so to Bondi. Since we came as a package deal, it was my expectation to find someone who loved him as much as me, but she exceeded that (in fact she probably loves him more than me… just kidding!). Sharing the vacations and holidays that followed showed me just how effortless love could be, and I knew this was it. We moved in together in February 2016, and those months following completed my picture of the future together. Later that year, I knew I would ask her to be my wife… something I didn’t need any of her confidence for, as I already knew she was 'The One.'"
November 19, 2016: The day started like any other… Jess was hungry and excited for brunch with Brendon’s friends in Santa Monica. She thought they were going to get some Lobster Benedict, but he knew he was going to pop the question leading to the biggest day of their lives. Brendon acted cool, calm and collected that morning while getting ready, but needed to find a way to conceal the ring box in something other than his pocket (his jeans are typically on the tight side). It was a somewhat chilly morning, so he suggested that they bring a backpack to carry sweatshirts, water, and have room for post-brunch shopping (to walk off some calories)... and, of course, the ring box!
As they made their way down to Santa Monica and parked near Third Street Promenade, Jess and Brendon headed over to Ocean Avenue near Bluffs Park where they rounded the corner to the Hotel Shangri-La. Coincidentally, Jess commented on the fact that that's where they had their first date over two years ago.
It was then that Brendon told Jess that they were not going to brunch after all (Jess was a bit upset about that because she had already picked out what she wanted to order off the brunch menu). Brendon took a small box out of his backpack and got down on one knee. "Will you marry me?" he asked. Through stunned, happy tears, Jess managed to say YES!
Then, like a paparazzi ninja, Brendon's brother Ryan appeared out of nowhere and started snapping pictures, capturing the special and unparalleled moment for all time. After champagne toasts and calling their loved ones to share the news, Jess and Brendon checked into the Hotel Shangri-La, where Brendon had booked the best suite for the two of them to stay that evening and celebrate their engagement... where it all started over two years ago.
It should be noted that it was extremely wise of Brendon to propose on the same day UCLA and USC were playing each other in football... Jess was so happy to be engaged to Brendon, she didn't even mind that the Bruins lost to the Trojans. Now THAT'S love.