The Pups
The David and Mike Story
It all started on the vibrant, chaotic of New Orleans during Southern Decadence 2001. Amid the sea of revelers in the French Quarter, David and Mike first spotted each other on Bourbon Street. Okay, so it wasn’t exactly a quiet stroll—it was a packed celebration of gay pride, with men of every shape and size filling the streets. But even in that crowd, they noticed each other instantly.
David remembers Mike as “the cutest Midwestern boy on the street that day—with a hot bod to match.” Mike, for his part, was intrigued by David’s outrageous leather chaps, long villainous sideburns, and, yes, a bare bottom. It was an instant spark. From that moment on, they were inseparable for the rest of the festival.
At the time, David lived in Boston and Mike in Atlanta. Both agreed that a long-distance relationship just wasn’t practical—after all, those never work. But fate had other plans.
Just days after returning home, David’s beloved grandmother passed away. He took the rest of the week off to attend the funeral in Berwick, Pennsylvania. After realizing that most of the family wouldn’t be staying long, David found himself thinking about Mike. On a whim, he booked a flight from Boston to Atlanta for the very next morning. He drove back to Boston and was in Atlanta before lunchtime. By the end of that weekend, David knew—this was forever.
Two weeks later, Mike was scheduled to fly to Boston for David’s birthday—on September 11, 2001. That visit, of course, didn’t happen. But just days later, Mike boarded one of the first flights allowed back in the air, flying directly over Ground Zero. That national tragedy, oddly enough, became another turning point in their relationship. David’s work schedule shifted to four-day weeks, allowing him to fly to Atlanta every other weekend. Flights were suddenly affordable, and the distance between them began to shrink.
By the end of 2001, David was ready for a new adventure, and Mike was eager to leave Atlanta. After some research, exploration, and heartfelt negotiation, they packed up and moved to San Diego together in January 2002—just four months after meeting.
Ten years later, surrounded by family and friends, David and Mike were married in Boston, Massachusetts. And the rest, as they say, is history.
The Wedding
A Week in Boston
Our wedding was more than a day—it was a weeklong celebration filled with love, laughter, and adventure. Family arrived throughout the week, joining us for memorable outings to Salem’s historic witch trial sites, Doyle’s Tavern, Quincy Market and much more. The festivities culminated in a private three-hour trolley tour through the streets and sights of Boston. We got engaged in September 2011 on our 10th anniversary and tied the knot the following May in Boston, surrounded by our immediate family.