How it started
Our Story
It all started with a swipe.
Brandon Holliday and Karen Hemmes matched on Bumble — and Karen was drawn to his profile the moment she saw he loved music festivals and could roll with her world as a DJ. So instead of the usual dinner or drinks, their first date was one of Karen’s gigs at Goodwood. Brandon hung out comfortably while she worked, struck by how confident and easy to talk to she was, and they hit it off, turning a first date into a night neither of them wanted to end.
They moved fast — both of them were looking for something real, no games, just honest conversation early on. It didn’t take long to realize they were each other’s people. Music was a huge part of both their lives, and they shared the same taste for the same sounds, the same adventures, and saying yes to anything that would make a great story later.
It didn’t take long to turn all that talk of adventure into the real thing. Their first trip together, to Rocky Point, was the turning point — somewhere along the way Brandon asked Karen to be his girlfriend, and the rest started becoming their story. There’ve been plenty of adventures since: weeks spent traveling throughout Europe, hot-air ballooning over Mexico City, Tomorrowland and Electric Forest, twice over. They’ve sailed to the Bahamas on Groove Cruise, had epic adventures with friends, carved down the mountains of Park City and Mount Baker, chased down their favorite DJs in Los Angeles and Vegas, and found the magic at Disney World.
Early on, Karen wasted no time leaving her mark: she challenged Brandon to shave off the beard no one had ever seen him without. He reluctantly took the plunge one New Year’s — a shock to everyone, himself included — and thankfully, both the beard and the relationship grew back stronger.
Eventually Karen moved in with Brandon, and her dog Gouda joined his two — Diva and Penny — making three dogs and one very full, very loved household. Combining two lives, two spaces, and three dogs came with its challenges, but they made it through, learned each other’s routines, and built a life that belonged to both of them — then set their sights on something bigger: a home of their own.
Through all of it, they’ve become a genuinely strong team. Brandon shows up for Karen at every turn — loyal and generous, cheering from the front row at her DJ gigs, championing her nutrition business, his easy optimism balancing her serious side. And Karen pushes Brandon to grow: she’s helped him slow down, soften his temper, and become a better partner, and she’s right beside him through every bit of travel chaos — missed flights, lost luggage, plans gone sideways — the moments that somehow feel figure-out-able with the right person next to you. They root for each other, hard.
From a Bumble match to a first date at Goodwood, from dance floors and snowboards to airplanes and hot-air balloons, their story has been built on music, travel, laughter, three dogs, and a whole lot of life lived together. Now they can’t wait to turn a new house into a home — and start a family.
And this is only the beginning.
“My first impression of Karen was, ‘Wow — she’s a superstar.’ I left our first date already picturing a lifetime of adventures together. She sees the world in a different light than I do, matches my energy at a moment’s notice, and pushes me to be a better man at every turn. Whatever goes sideways out there — missed flights, lost luggage, all of it — having her beside me makes it feel like we’ll figure it out. That’s when I knew she’s my person, and I can’t imagine anyone I’d rather have beside me for every adventure still to come.”
“I knew early on that Brandon would make a great partner and always have my back. I love his passion and his positive mindset — he pushes me to soften and relax, and he’s shown me how love should feel. He’s shown me the finer things in life while being my biggest supporter — at every DJ gig, rooting for my nutrition business, in my corner every step. We’re both adventurous and always down for a good time, while keeping our health and our relationship the priority. I can’t wait to make our new house a home.”
