Blog > Tying the Knot > #25
Tying the Knot #25
: A commitment to change and to each other
Debra + Adam
A simple, steady connection that began with a swipe right grew deep roots to become everything.
Life pulled them in different directions, but they stayed connected in all the ways that counted.
“The idea of spending our lives together felt obvious in a quiet, undeniable way.”
Q. How did you guys first meet and fall in love?
DEBRA: Adam and I met on Tinder—as so many people do these days!—at a very strange time in both of our lives. We were standing on the edge of big changes and doing a lot of honest self-reflection. I was just about to move to Oregon.
ADAM: And I was about to address some personal issues and enter a six-month inpatient recovery program.
DEBRA: But that simple connection unfolded into a friendship that felt real and easy. Conversation flowed, laughter came naturally, and being ourselves felt safe. We supported each other’s growth, celebrated milestones, and chose each other again and again, even when it required patience and distance.
ADAM: Including monthly visits to Oregon!
DEBRA: His commitment to his recovery felt like a commitment to both of us. After a year, I knew in my bones that building a life together was the only possible outcome for us, and I moved back to Alaska to be with him. Now we’re exploring the world side by side, grounded in friendship, curiosity, and a shared belief that love is not about staying the same, but about growing together.
"Falling in love was not loud or rushed.
It was intentional, steady, and felt like coming home."
Q. How did you know you wanted to marry each other & who wanted to tie the knot first?
ADAM: We both came from years of firmly believing, “I don’t need a government contract to tell me who I love.” But…
DEBRA: I was the one who brought it up first, technically. Adam keeps a journal full of to-do lists, and when he was nearly at the end of one, I was feeling particularly bold. I flipped to a back page and wrote, “Probably marry Deb or something…”
ADAM: And eventually I found it. And while I think she panicked a little when I mentioned it, my first reach was both laughter and relief. Because I was already on the same page.
Q: Tell us about the details of the proposal & the wedding. How did you feel? How did it go?
DEBRA: The proposal was perfect in its own unexpected way. It technically wasn’t a proposal at all. We took a trip to Las Vegas, and everywhere we went people kept asking if we were eloping. We always said no, then laughed about it back in the hotel room. Eventually the joke turned into a “Well…what if?” and just like that, we were engaged.
ADAM: But after talking it through, we knew we didn’t actually want to elope or have a quick Vegas wedding. It mattered to me that my parents could be there. We wanted to share that moment with them.
DEBRA: We chose to have an outdoor wedding at Eklutna Lake, a place that held deep meaning for us.
ADAM: That was where I lived during treatment and where, through phone calls and letters, we built the foundation of our relationship.
RACHEL: We planned a small camping wedding and spent three nights there with friends and family, building our arch and thoughtfully creating a space to celebrate our love. About sixty people joined us. One of my very best friends officiated, and as we began to say our vows, a gust of wind moved through the lake. In that moment, hundreds of dragonflies appeared and circled around us.
"It felt like pure magic, as if the land itself was bearing witness."
Q: Why did you choose HIDDENSPACE, how did you hear about us? Which ring did you decide on and how does your engagement/wedding ring resonate with you or the love you guys share?
DEBRA: Choosing a ring together was important to us. I knew I wanted something unique and timeless. While scrolling through rings on Instagram, HIDDENSPACE immediately stopped us in our tracks.
ADAM: We spent time looking through the designs together, and the moment we came across the Greta ring, we both audibly gasped. It was instant.
DEBRA: Still, we took our time to really sit with the decision, but I just kept always coming back to Greta. Nothing compares to how I feel about this ring. It’s stunning. It feels strong and structured, yet delicate at the same time. It makes a bold statement without being flashy, and it resonates deeply with the love we share: grounded, intentional, and quietly powerful.
Q: Tell us about your favorite memory together.
RACHEL: One of our favorite memories is a weekend spent at the Alvord Desert in eastern Oregon, staying in an old horse trailer turned camper. It was 110 degrees, there was no air conditioning, and we were absolutely suffering together in the best way.
ADAM: We poured water on each other to stay cool, drove straight through dust devils, and laughed our way through it all.
RACHEL: At night, we lay in a hammock watching the Milky Way and counting shooting stars. We watched a lightning storm dance across the mountains on the far edge of the desert, completely in awe. One afternoon, while resting in the hammock and listening to Alan Watts, hundreds of dragonflies suddenly swarmed around us.
"It felt surreal, quiet, and like the desert was letting us know we were exactly where we were supposed to be."
Q: Anything else you’d like to share with the world? Any advice to couples or newlyweds?
ADAM: Never stop laughing.
RACHEL: And always, ALWAYS, touch the butt.
Arranged by
Kirstie Bingham
Credit
Photographer: @gong
