Harry Ramos and Lieu Woodhead

Last year, Harry Ramos was living in Salt Lake City with his pet dachshund, Rocco. They were well-known in the neighborhood and often dined out together. But one night, Ramos showed up with a lovely woman instead.

She was Lieu Woodhead, and the two had met on Match.com. “I knew after that first date I was going to spend the rest of my life with her,” Ramos said.

But one thing bothered Woodhead: Ramos’ apartment was nearly bare. A Southern California native, Ramos explained that he had sold everything so he could quit his job and return home. “I won’t keep a man from doing what he needs to do,” she said. But he replied, “It’s too late. I’m not leaving without you.”

So he bought a couch and moved to a bigger apartment with an extra room, so that Woodhead’s 17-year-old son, Damian Moon, could stay over.

In January, Ramos got a job offer: senior director of admissions at the Art Institute of California — Orange County. Then, after dinner on Valentine’s Day, Ramos and Woodhead returned to his apartment where she found a series of gifts and notes. The last one read, “Would you do me the honor of. . . .”

He was on his knee, holding an engagement ring. Then Moon walked in with champagne, chocolates and a huge smile.

Woodhead, 36, Ramos, 35, and Moon now live in Anaheim. The couple married April 16 at Cravings in West Hollywood. In a moving moment, Ramos promised to love Moon as if he were his own son.

— Maxine Nunes, Custom Publishing Writer