Meet Zach and Nelmoyo

Meet Zach and Nelmoyo, a couple whose love story began online, crossed thousands of miles, and today reached a beautiful new chapter. Zach, from Canandaigua, New York is a carpenter. Nelmoyo, from Manila in the Philippines, is highly specialized performance test specialist in banking. They met on the dating app Boo after Zach liked Nelmoyo’s profile and she randomly liked his back. It wasn’t exactly smooth sailing at first, as Nelmoyo nearly ghosted him, but Zach was persistent, and eventually, something special blossomed. For Nelmoyo, Zach stood out. She thought he was intelligent, noticed his beautiful eyes, and, as she put it, he was her “2025 surprise.” Today, during their tour at 11:10a, after one year and six months together, Zach presented Nelmoyo with a ring he created himself. The rose-gold ring features a beautiful morganite surrounded by diamonds. Zach chose morganite because it represents compassion, emotional healing, and promise, a fitting symbol for a relationship that has grown through distance, patience, communication, and love. Zach said that he chose Howe Caverns because he thought that our location was unique and he learned about our magical heart online.

This is only the second time Zach and Nelmoyo have met in person. Nelmoyo is visiting the United States for two weeks, and Zach was determined to make every moment count. Their adventure doesn’t stop here. Next up: Pennsylvania, including Big Run Geyser, Centralia, and Gettysburg, followed by Baltimore and Washington, D.C. And when Nelmoyo returns to Manila, Zach already hopes to make another trip to the Philippines.He’s fallen in love with the culture, the people, and the incredible landscapes, especially the mountains and nature outside Manila. He said, “The culture was just so exciting and interesting. Everybody was really welcoming to me.”

The two share a love of hiking and nature, and they hope that someday they can settle down in the Philippines, where Zach sees an affordable and beautiful place to retire.

Perhaps the most meaningful part of their story is the advice they have for other couples navigating long-distance relationships. They believe in heavy communication, emotional check-ins, and learning how to talk about the hard days. They’ve even read books together to help them better understand each other. Nelmoyo shared the Filipino concept of “tampo” — the feeling of longing for affection that can sometimes come out as anger or withdrawal. Their message to other long-distance couples is simple: If you know it’s worth it, go for it. Zach and Nelmoyo both know, social media can make long-distance relationships look easy but that is not the reality. They said, “It is not for the faint of heart but it’s well worth it if you find the right person to do it with.”

Congratulations, Zach and Nelmoyo on your engagement We are so honored to be part of your story. We are wishing you many beautiful adventures ahead and a lifetime of good health and happiness. Thank you so much for visiting