Where it all started 😍
February 18, 2017
We have so many people to thank for making this moment happen: Claire, Angel, Tucker, Tony, and the rest of the Northeastern and Boston University ballroom teams. At the BU Ballroom Competition 💃, Tiffany saw some of the Northeastern team hanging out on the balcony and after meeting them at a dance workshop just a few weeks prior, she thought she’d go get to know them a bit more (especially Gino 😜). Gino and Tiffany did end up chatting for a little bit and he eventually asked for her number!
Behind the scenes: Gino’s friends goaded him on to ask for Tiff’s number. Gino refused unless they left us alone. Tony dragged everyone off the balcony. Claire, clueless about the situation, came to the balcony to hang out with Tiff. Angel faked a comp registration emergency to get Claire outta there. Gino worked up the courage to ask for Tiff’s number. Tiff’s number acquired! 😌
Ever since, the BU Metcalf Ballroom has held a special place in our hearts and we like to go and reminisce on that balcony at every BU Ballroom Competition we go to.
Gino meets Tiff’s 👧 family
February 2017
At that first BU Ballroom Competition in 2017, Gino caught Tiff’s mom’s attention pretty quickly. Tiff’s mom happened to pass by while Gino was playing the piano 🎹 in the lobby and was later even more impressed when Gino was shaking his hips and full head of hair on the competition floor. Little did she know that in just a few hours, Gino would ask for Tiff’s number!
Gino meshed so well with Tiff’s family and soon we were going on vacations together. They’ve helped us move countless number of times, watched so many of our dance competitions, and more. Most importantly, Gino became the son Tiff’s dad always wanted - someone to install car brakes with 🚗, to fix things around the house with. Just dad things! 👨
Tiff meets Gino’s 👦 family
August 2019
For better or worse, Gino’s mom bore two sons 👦🧒. She never had a daughter to share girlish experiences with so naturally she was ecstatic to finally meet Tiffany. The connection was instant! During the trip back to Gino’s California home, they were going on adventures, shopping for matching bracelets, and sharing family recipe secrets.
Gino was riding in the backseat.
While Gino’s mom spends most of her time outside the country, there’s now one more reason to come back home 🏡.
Gino learns to ski ⛷️
March 2020
Tiffany grew up skiing with her family so it was only right that Gino also learned to shred the gnar! 🤘 By the end of the first day, he was really saucing up the pizzas and within the first season, he had the french fries in the bag! Within just a few years, he’s pretty much got the carving down. A real welcome to the family, Gino 😛
Gino’s first trip to Taiwan 🇹🇼
December 2022
Gino went on his first trip to Taiwan 🇹🇼 to meet the rest of Tiffany’s family, and most importantly, to pass the final golden gate (A.K.A. Tiff’s grandma 👵). After several good-ol lectures and Gino graciously enduring, we daresay he passed with flying colors! Gino has since fallen deeply in love with Taiwan and is now an honorary Taiwanese.
7 years of sharing the dance floor 💃
7 years. Maybe more? Who knows...
We’ve shared 7 great years of dancing, from buying our first pairs of dance shoes together, to competing, to dancing on the streets to every ballroom-able song, to dancing the best Latin rounds of our lives at the NYDF dance camp.
We are so grateful for the Boston ballroom community that made our college experience and dance lives so fun and exciting. We have Elif, Gino’s first dance partner, to thank for graciously allowing Gino to partner with his girlfriend. Coaches and the vets who helped us grow and navigate the collegiate dance world. And the lifelong friends we’ve made, whom we’re so looking forward to dancing with on our wedding day!
We got engaged! 💍
October 23, 2023
We planned a weekend trip to the Getaway Cabins 🏕️ in New Hampshire and were so excited for a weekend of sleeping in, pigging out on snacks, card games, comfy clothes, and campfire food. Gino thought he was doing a good job of hiding his proposal plan… until he asked Tiffany if she was going to bring a cute outfit, her overnight heatless hair curler, and that maybe they could do nails and face masks together (all things not previously listed!).
Gino proposed on the most beautiful fall day and as Gino describes it, “the vibes were magical.” 💖 (Tiff agrees)
Our weekend getaway was perfect. On top of sleeping in, eating the most tasty campfire grilled salmon, and crushing Gino at Monopoly Deal, we got engaged!!!
Celebrating in Taiwan! 🎉
January 2024
We wanted to have an engagement ceremony in Taiwan to celebrate with Tiffany’s grandma. Although she passed away just a few months before, we felt her spirit in the form of her siblings and close friends who came to celebrate with us. The day was richly filled with Taiwanese tea ceremony traditions, good food, and family.
