Maddie and Ethan first met while surfing at Kūki‘o Bay in December 2020. Maddie was out with her sisters and family friends, and Ethan was out with his sister. After catching up with some mutual friends, Ethan introduced himself to Maddie and proceeded to spend the rest of the morning helping her catch waves. Back on the beach, he got her number and asked her out on the spot.

They spent the next month together in Hawai‘i, surfing with their families and going on dates, exploring hidden beaches and adventures around Kona (including a dangerous tide pool where Maddie got a scar she still has). But when the new year came around, they went back to college and lost touch.

Two years later, surfing in the very same spot, they ran into each other again and discovered they were both living in the Bay Area. Ethan promptly asked Maddie on a date when they returned, taking her to a Warriors game, remembering how big of a fan she was from two years prior. From then on, it was easy. Being together felt like coming home.

A few months later, while walking along that same beach, Ethan told Maddie he loved her for the first time. And on December 22, 2024, he proposed on Kūki‘o Point, looking out over where they first met.

Maddie and Ethan’s families both live in Hawaii, and it is in many ways their home, making it the best place to celebrate their love and marriage.