“The baffled king composing Hallelujah.”
How They Met
Joi and Shu met way back in 2016 at a friend’s gathering in the Bay Area. Shu was still based in New York back then and often flew to California for work. Joi’s first impression? “That guy uses a lot of hairspray, and… who wears a dress shirt to a friends hangout?” Then she found out he was from NYC.
Mountain Called
In 2017, Shu hiked the Haute Route through the Swiss Alps for 14 days, solo. He returned lighter (by 15 pounds!) and called it “the most beautiful trail I’ve ever seen.” Joi didn’t quite get why someone would choose to walk that long through mountains, but she listened.
That same year, on a ski trip to Mt Hood in Oregon, Joi found her own love for snow-covered peaks. She started spending more time outside. She never imagined one day they’d explore the mountains together.
From Friends to More
They stayed close friends for years. In 2020, something shifted, and they started dating. Shu invited Joi on a road trip to LA, a city he once disliked (“Crazy traffic. And who would have thought the left 3 lanes are all exits?!”) But together, they found cozy cafes, sunset hillsides, and quiet magic here and there. It became their place, and still is their favorite place in the US!
One soul, or?
As they traveled and lived in different cities, they realized how deeply they resonated with each other. Both curious. Both romantic. Both constantly chasing beauty in art, music, photography, and everyday moments.
At some point, it felt like they were one soul, accidentally living in two bodies.
Two Souls
But at the end of the day, each person is their own world. Joi is all about Paris. Shu’s heart belongs to Tokyo.
Then there’s the annual earphone summit in LA that Shu drags Joi to every year - his happy place, filled with obscure audio gear. He geeks out over impedance and drivers, while Joi just shows up, trying on earphones with no clue what’s going on.
She learned to understand and laughed at his software engineer jokes; he learned to appreciate fandom novels she loved. And somehow, they’ve grown to understand and love each other’s quirks.
Dec 16, 2024
During a month long stay in Barcelona, Shu asked Joi if she’s up for a spontaneous weekend drive. Then their tire exploded on the highway 🥹
But after a lucky rescue by the rental company, they made it to a glamping site in a tiny town called Talamanca.
Joi stepped into a space filled with printed photos from all their travels, snapshots of memories they made together. And Shu, smiling, asked: “Want to go on the longest trip of all together?” She said yes.
Completing the Circle
When Shu and Joi started planning their wedding, they imagined all kinds of places, but their hearts kept circling back to the Alps.
It is where they once ran down alpine trails of the Tour du Mont Blanc feeling completely, wildly free.
So they decided to return. To gather with family and their closest friends in the place that once made their hearts soar.
From here, they’re stepping into a new chapter: one full of love, possibility, and the kind of quiet magic they first found in the mountains.
