Three days after Alexandra Elizabeth Hensler, who goes by Lexi, and Justice Daniel Shepard met at a party in Los Angeles, they went on a lunch date that turned into a four-day adventure across two states and multiple cities.
They met on July 28, 2022, when Shepard attended the party as a plus-one of Hensler’s former manager. They exchanged social media handles and, after the party, Shepard sent Hensler a message asking her to lunch.
Three days later, they met for their lunch date at Alcove in Los Angeles. They were having a great time, and when Hensler learned that Shepard’s birthday was approaching, “I said I was going to the bathroom and instead ordered a piece of cake with a candle in it for him,” she recalled.
“I melted when I saw it,” Shepard said.
They both wanted to keep the date going, so Hensler surprised him again, suggesting that they take a spur-of-the-moment road trip to Las Vegas.
Although Shepard admitted later that he was more of a planner, he fibbed in the moment and said, “I love spontaneous.” After a quick stop at Hensler’s place, they hit the road.
That night in Las Vegas, they headed to the top of the Strat with plans to ride the X-Scream roller coaster. But it was already closed for the day. So instead, “Justice, being quite the romantic, pulled out his phone to play French jazz music,” Hensler said. Under the stars, the two slow-danced and shared their first kiss.
The next morning, neither of them wanted the adventure to end. Hensler suggested that they drive to Laguna Beach, Calif., for Shepard’s birthday the next day, on Aug. 2. So they headed out once again with a stop at Target to gather a few essentials.
When they arrived in Laguna Beach that evening, they checked into a room at Hotel Joaquin, complete with a record player, which they used to play music by the Beach Boys on repeat.
They went down to the beach later that night. “I got candles at the gas station when he wasn’t looking,” Hensler said. “I put them in the sand and had him make a wish and jump in the ocean at midnight.”
They made a final stop in San Diego before returning to Los Angeles late on Aug. 3.
Their lengthy first date was no fluke, the couple said. “Our second date began the next day, Aug. 4, and lasted for three days,” Hensler said.
And just two weeks after meeting, on Aug. 12, 2022, the two became official and said “I love you” for the first time.
After that, “Justice unofficially moved in pretty immediately,” Hensler said. “We would only spend one or two nights apart per month.” They now share a home in Los Angeles.
Hensler, 28, is a YouTuber and content creator, as well as a founder of Hugz, a company that sells weighted stuffed animals to support mental health. Born in Lakeport, Calif., she grew up in Bakersfield, Calif., and San Diego.
Shepard, 26, formerly a software engineer, is also a content creator focused on product reviews and study tips for students. He holds a bachelor’s in electrical engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Shepard was born in Aurora, Colo., and raised in San Jose, Calif.
On Dec. 2, 2024, while on the island of Kauai during a trip to celebrate Hensler’s birthday, Shepard proposed. Hensler had no idea a proposal was coming, she said — that is, until the flight to Hawaii. “I looked over at him on the flight and saw his laptop open to an email titled ‘Surprise Proposal!’” Hensler said. But Shepard believed her when she said she hadn’t seen a thing.
Although not a true surprise, Hensler said, the proposal was perfect: “Justice gave an in-depth and romantic speech, which both of us could barely get through due to the crying, and he finally kneeled down to ask if I would marry him.” She didn’t hesitate to answer.
The couple married on Aug. 12 at Laguna Beach City Hall. “It feels like returning to where everything really began,” Hensler said. Fourteen guests attended the ceremony, which was led by Cheryl Baldridge, a deputy city clerk, and was followed by dinner at Javier’s, Finest Foods of Mexico.
They spent the night at Hotel Joaquin, where they stayed during their first trip. They planned to host a larger wedding celebration in Italy in late September. “Travel has been a meaningful part of our relationship,” Hensler said, “starting with our very first date.”
