Andrea had just finished a 2+ year adventure living and teaching in Madrid. Recently single and planning to return to Austin, TX, she decided to try a bit of a famous hike before leaving Spain. With a borrowed backpack and cheap sneakers, she set off with no plans. Starting alone, she soon joined two German brothers and an American, walking with them for two weeks before meeting Nate.
Nate was also in transition, having quit his business career aspirations for aviation. He planned to start flight school in the fall and saved for a 3-month backpacking trip through Europe. After studying abroad in Santiago de Compostela and seeing the end of the hike, he vowed to complete it if he ever had the time. Now was that time. Unlike Andrea, he trained, bought new hiking gear and shoes, and practiced in Arizona to build stamina.
While on the Camino, Nate was awaiting a flight school assignment, willing to go anywhere except Dallas. (No offense to Dallas fans, but Nate hated—and still hates—Dallas.) After a week with the most interesting, smart, and impressive woman he'd ever met, Nate got the call: they offered him Dallas. Knowing Andrea was moving back to Austin, and that Austin wasn’t too far from Dallas, he said, “Dallas sounds great!”
565 miles later, Nate started school in Dallas and made the three-hour drive to Austin every chance he could. He would drive three hours, take Andrea out to dinner, then drive back. Andrea would also make the drive, or they would meet halfway in Waco (thanks, Chip & Joanna Gaines) to spend a few precious hours together.
After a year of this, Nate moved to Atlanta to work as a flight instructor. This was round two of long distance for them, adding significant mileage to their situation. With their limited funds (like, so broke), they found ways to pay for flights to see each other as often as possible. Exploring Atlanta, they discovered neighborhood gems that foreshadowed the life they enjoy today.
With Andrea living with her parents and Nate living with some super weird Craigslist roommates, it was time to move in together. After Andrea got an incredible work opportunity, working on behalf of kiddos in the foster care system in Texas, she scored THE BEST little apartment downtown.
Taking in all that Austin has to offer, these years were filled with SO much love and fun.
If you know Andrea, then you know that she LOVES animals of all kinds (I mean, she works at Zoo Atlanta). They weren't sure if they were ready to commit to a dog of their own, so they decided to start fostering dogs. Austin Pets Alive is a non-profit that became near and dear to their hearts. They fostered dogs of all shapes and sizes, and then number 7 came along.
Number 7 was a little girl named Pickle, who completely stole their hearts. Renamed Kona Pickle, they couldn't let her go, and today she still runs the show.
If it weren't for the $10,000 price tag to get her here, she would be celebrating with us all in Mexico.
Andrea and Nate built their relationship on their passion for travel and adventure. They are both explorers at heart, and love nothing more than going somewhere new and experiencing different ways of life.
They are both super flexible when it comes to traveling, so you may see them at an airport just picking a place off the departure board and taking off. Flight benefits help, and standby is a way of life.
Today, Andrea and Nate live in the Inman Park neighborhood of downtown Atlanta. They spend their days going on long walks with Kona, listening to music, cooking, dining with friends, and soaking up all that the city has to offer.
They've built a life full of love, respect, and so much happiness.
When they told people they were heading to Rome for the weekend, no one in their circle batted an eye. Nate and Andrea tend to do that kind of thing.
That being said, Andrea was NOT expecting what was coming next. A proposal.
Nate had known for years at this point that Andrea was his person. Time and time again, Nate would look at Andrea and just know, that's my wife.
After a fun day in Rome with a pasta/tiramisu-making class, Andrea and Nate went on a walk by the Castel Sant'Angelo. Nate pretended to stop and get some sunglasses out of his backpack, but really, he was digging out his engagement rings—yes, rings, plural.
Nate had the honor of presenting Andrea with his grandmother's ring and his grandsir's sister's ring.
Thinking one of them would just be symbolic, Andrea put them both on and they just fit. In more ways than one.
That brings us to today!
Andrea and Nate will marry on January 25, 2025, in San Miguel de Allende. They can't wait to celebrate with you.