Manuel is originally from Villavicencio, Colombia, while Allissa is originally from Sydney, Nova Scotia. As a young adult, Manuel decided to move to Canada for university, and that is where their love story began.

Allissa and Manuel met at St Francis Xavier University in Antigonish. Manuel was in his second year of university at the time, and Allissa was in her third. In the true spirit of StFX, they attended many parties, and that’s how they were first introduced through mutual friends. The two of them also lived in the same residence, and so they were able to further get to know each other there. Manuel often made dinner in the kitchen adjacent to the lounge where Allissa would study in an attempt to talk to her. Eventually, he asked her out on a date, and unable to resist his persuasive charm, she said yes. Their first date was at Boston Pizza, and from there, a romance bloomed. On February 15th, 2018, they officially became a couple. The following summer, they decided to move in together, and they spent the months bonding over their favorite TV shows and many trips to the beach. During that summer, Allissa also showed Manuel the glorious sights of Cape Breton. When she took Manuel home for the first time, he was welcomed with open arms and instantly became part of the family. This was incredibly special to Manuel as his own family was very far away, and so it was nice to have a second one in Canada who cared for him so much.

Over the next two years, Allissa and Manuel’s relationship continued to grow. In December 2019, they travelled to Orlando, Florida, together, and this is where Allissa met Manuel’s family for the first time. They spent New Year's Eve watching the fireworks over Cinderella’s castle in Magic Kingdom, Disney.

In September 2019, Allissa and Manuel transitioned into a long-distance relationship as Allissa had graduated from StFX and was moving on to her next degree at Dalhousie University in Halifax. They travelled back and forth, continuously visiting each other, until COVID-19 hit in March 2020. At that time, Allissa moved back to Antigonish to quarantine with Manuel and to complete online school until restrictions were lifted. They were both grateful for the move as it was nice to be living together again. Manuel was also grateful that Allissa could be there as the distance between him and his family during this period was often difficult. During quarantine, they spent their time playing video games, going on drives, and learning how to cook delicious meals.

When Manuel graduated in May 2021, he moved to Halifax to live with Allissa. They returned to Cartagena for New Years Eve in December 2021, and they loved it just as much as the first time they visited together. Eventually, the two of them decided to start building their family, and they adopted two kittens. The names of their kitties are Simba and Nala, and they are the cutest cats in the world!

On February 13th, 2023, Manuel proposed to Allissa on a Disney cruise. Little had Allissa known, Manuel had planned this moment for a whole year. He proposed at sunset on the back of the ship overlooking Miami, and as he put the ring on her finger, both families burst out of the doors behind her. To her surprise, they were in on the plan and had come on the cruise too! The group of them had an amazing time on the cruise together. They were absolutely spoiled with delicious food, exciting new experiences, and amazing entertainment. To add to the fun of it all, they also indulged in a trip to Cancun for their 5th year anniversary the week after the cruise. They agreed that this was the best vacation they had ever had together.

 

Today, Allissa and Manuel continue to live in Halifax with their two kitties. Manuel works as a QC supervisor, and Allissa works as a cardiac sonographer. They are renting a house with the plan of buying their own in the near future. With the intention of including both families and celebrating both cultures equally, they decided to get married twice in the year of 2024! On May 17th, they will be getting married in the catholic church in Cartagena, Colombia, and on September 1st, they will mark their marriage legally with a civil ceremony in Halifax! They are beyond excited to celebrate with all of you and cannot wait to see you there!!