I had been working for Lil Woody's as a cashier after I recently moved back to Seattle from Los Angeles for a little over a month back in 2018 when in walks this pretty customer with what I had thought was her friend (turned out to be her cousin).

As the two women browsed the menu, I stood at my point of service and patiently waited for them to make up their minds (A moment that lasted longer in my own mind as I was a bit nervous to take their order... you know how it goes; attractive lady walks in and the world stops spinning for that moment).

Up come the two ladies - I don't remember what her cousin ordered - but I remember till this day that Liz ordered The Fig & The Pig with a side of Onion Rings.

Once the order was ready, I delivered their food to the right side window booth where the two sat and for a whisper of a moment, Liz caught my eye with her beautiful dark brown eyes as we shared this brief non verbal connection as I placed the baskets of food down on the table.

I recall her at some point asking for a ranch sauce which we usually charge customers for, but since she was reciprocating my flirtatious interactions, I gave her the ranch on the house. During the evening we eventually struck up a quick conversation, afterwards I introduced myself and shook Liz's hand.

I must have been on my A game that evening because after she finished her meal, Liz slipped me her number written on a small piece of paper... that was the first time any girl had slipped me her number without asking for it ;)

I love you Elizabeth for coming into my life the way you did in the fashion you did - something classic; something charmingly disarming and something I still reminisce about to this day.

I went into Lil Woodys on a random day of the week for dinner with my cousin. I saw Will at the cash register and thought he was cute as I approached him. I decided to flirt with him a little and ask his opinion for the menu and stared at his eyes a little too long.


I remember when he would run our food to the table, I thought he had a nice smile. I didnt think anything of it until my cousin kept encouraging me how much this guy was checking me out.


I went up to the front alone to ask him for a to go bag. He handed me the bag, shook my hand and smiled at me and said Hi Im Will.


When he smiled at me, it peaked my curiosity to get to know him. We were making small talk when I noticed a customer behind me so I asked him for his number so that we can continue this conversation another time.


Later that week we went on our first date!


Backstory about me:
It was refreshing for me when Will took the initiative to introduced himself because from my personal experience; guys tended to start a conversation with me without an introduction, so for me it was that small yet remarkable gesture that made him stand out... the man behind that handshake and smile.

Yes, we are combining our last names together.

Why?

Simple answer: we love traveling together. Tran + Lavely = Travely.

Long answer: While there are options to take the groom's last name or keep the bride's given surname as tradition, why not a third option... our style: combine our last names; a compromise representing a true union between each other... giving up the family name, yet creating a name that honors both sides of our heritage: our own personal definition of a marriage.

The idea came from us being able to travel easily together. Usually it is assumed that couples tend to fight on trips or that the assumption is: "You don't know who you are dating until you test your relationship on a trip outside your city.". However for us, in the chaos of traversing airports, buses, trains and other means of transportations, we find solace in each other's company. Like a safe haven where we define "Home". Whenever we are with each other traveling, there is a comforting feeling that we experience while we adventure out into our next trip wherever that may be.