Ailish & Lauren - A Proposal Captured by Emily Howlett Photography

Ailish and Lauren have been together for just shy of two years (approximately ten years in lesbian years). They first met while using the LGBTQ+ dating app, Her

They weren’t really using the app to find a serious relationship as they were both new to dating women and just wanted to start branching out into the LGBTQ+ scene.

That plan lasted all of five minutes when they got to talking and realized how effortless and deep the conversation quickly became. Ailish matched with Lauren but believed Lauren to be way out of her league. However, she initiated the conversation anyway. Asking about her dog, which could be seen in one of the photos on her profile. Ailish was shocked by how great a conversationalist Lauren was and everything they shared in common.

Lauren was surprised by Ailish’s empathy early into their conversation when she diverted the conversation to their love languages.

She was taken aback when Lauren, by sheer coincidence, quoted her favorite line from her favorite book at the time to her. She knew then that this would be a relationship that would forever change her.

At the time of the meeting in March of 2020, COVID was beginning to result in lockdowns that lasted much of the year in Melbourne. As Lauren was closeted at the time, they did not meet in person for five weeks. Eventually, with restrictions considered, they were able to meet under a rotunda within a park that was between both their houses. Ailish was late because she was so nervous. She panicked over parking and ended up parking far away, having to walk quite the distance to the location. Lauren thought she was being stood up. Ailish made it to the rotunda first as Lauren had to change locations because of Ailish’s parking. As Ailish saw her walk across a bridge toward her, she struggled to put the emotions she felt at that moment into words.

When they first started talking, Ailish worried Lauren was not a real person and even perhaps a case of catfishing because she had limited social media and maintained a veil of mysteriousness. Ailish’s friends were skeptical of this person who seemed too good to be true.

On that day when they met under the rotunda, which also happened to be on “National Lesbian Day” (which was absolutely not intentional!) Ailish was finally sure the woman of her dreams was real. She will never forget the feeling of Lauren’s heart beating out of her chest against hers. She knew that day she would marry her.

Lockdowns continued, and Lauren and Ailish did not see each other for more than nine weeks at one point in the year despite living in the same city.

Lauren came out, and both their families are wholly supportive of their relationship and have been very fortunate with the support they have around them.