Fate is a tricky thing. Samantha Rodriguez and Colby Miller would’ve never met if she hadn’t taken a summer internship in her hometown. But, she did. She met Colby, and the two would fall deeply in love.

Like many 2020 weddings, the couple faced difficult decisions as the pandemic’s effects unraveled. Cancellations, closures, and safety concerns troubled the couple as their wedding date quickly approached. They had planned to exchange I-dos in the fall of 2020, but the external pressures troubled the couple. Rather than postpone or cancel their wedding, the couple took charge.

On July 16, Colby and Samantha held each other’s hands, gazed deeply into each other’s eyes, and embraced an intimate, once-in-a-lifetime moment. They eloped and took to Chapel Dulcinea, on the outskirts of Austin, TX, to begin their life together.