Our story technically began in 2017, though neither of us realized it at the time. We were working on the same project from opposite coasts, Isabella in New York at PocketWatch and Royce in Los Angeles at Paramount Players. Back then, our entire relationship consisted of emails and phone calls, long before Zoom was part of daily life.

Fast forward to 2019. Isabella had moved back to Los Angeles and was out with Maddie Meltzer at The Den when a stranger walked up and introduced himself as “Ichabod.” Suspicious, Isabella asked to see his driver’s license. The truth was revealed: Royce Reeves-Darby. A name that sounded very familiar. After some light detective work (and scrolling through old emails), we realized we had worked together years earlier. We spent the night talking and getting to know each other, but nothing came of it. Notably, that bar has since closed, which feels on brand for our timing back then.

Until it did.

In 2021, when Isabella and Royce matched on the dating app Hinge, fate gave us another nudge. This time, the name was remembered immediately. We agreed to go on a date on September 26, 2021, at the rooftop of Mama Shelter Los Angeles. We’ve been together ever since, despite the fact that Mama Shelter has also closed.

In October of 2025, Royce proposed just steps from our home at the El Rey Theatre, lighting up the marquee with the words: “Isabella Astor, will you marry me?”

Turns out, the best love stories sometimes take a few introductions, a little persistence, and venues that may or may not still exist.