When Lauren Nicole Noblitt began working as a hostess at Finka Table & Tap, a West Miami, Fla., restaurant owned by the chef Eileen Frances Andrade, she had never dated a woman. She identified as straight, although she admitted to being more attracted to women.
She said she first saw her new boss sitting at the bar in October 2017 and was blown away. “I couldn’t believe Eileen was the owner because she looked super cool,” she said.
Ms. Andrade, who came out in 2009, didn’t look at Ms. Noblitt romantically because she was an employee. “We really liked each other, but always socialized with other people and never acted on anything,” Ms. Andrade, 36, said. She is also the chef-owner of Amelia’s 1931, a classic Latin restaurant with Asian influences in West Miami.
Their solid friendship continued for about a year even after Ms. Noblitt, 27, switched to working as a hostess and server at Amelia’s 1931. But things changed between them at Ms. Noblitt’s 21st birthday party in September 2018. “I ended up spending the night with Eileen,” Ms. Noblitt said.
The next morning, the women were “hung over” and craved a hearty meal. They felt bold enough to dine out publicly, feasting on tacos at Antojitos, a Mexican restaurant in Miami. “Our hopes of keeping this attraction low-key until we were ready to share were thwarted when a co-worker walked in and busted us,” Ms. Andrade said.
Ms. Noblitt had been attracted to Ms. Andrade for months, but wasn’t quite ready to act on it. “I was very Christian and wanted to marry a man, have a white picket fence, and a typical American marriage,” Ms. Noblitt said. “But I accepted being gay after my slow romantic progression with Eileen.”
She continued working at Amelia’s 1931 while they dated, and after they began living together in February 2019. By then, Ms. Noblitt knew she wanted to marry Ms. Andrade. “Eileen’s confident and smart, and makes life interesting with her wit,” Ms. Noblitt said. “I feel comfortable with her.”
Ms. Andrade was born and raised in Miami. She graduated from the now-closed Miami International University of Art & Design with a bachelor’s degree in fashion merchandising. She spent much of her childhood in the kitchen working with her grandfather, who was in the culinary business in Cuba and opened Islas Canarias restaurant in Miami in 1977.
Ms. Noblitt, born and raised in Carmel, Ind., until her family moved to Sarasota, Fla., graduated from Florida International University with a bachelor’s degree in business management.
During the Covid pandemic, they grew closer despite the stress of operating restaurants when people were afraid to go out. “It actually deepened our bond because I was crazy, and Lauren, an old soul, grounded me,” Ms. Andrade said. “Being opposites was a good thing.”
In June 2021, Ms. Andrade planned a party for both families to meet, hoping that Ms. Noblitt’s side would feel comfortable with her dating a woman.
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“I was terrified with Lauren’s grandparents being there,” Ms. Andrade said. “But seeing how well our families vibed was the big moment for me because this had never happened in my previous romances.”
The following year, Ms. Noblitt surprised Ms. Andrade with a sheepadoodle puppy, Soju, now 3, named after a Korean alcoholic beverage the women enjoy.
Around this time, Ms. Noblitt began reassessing her life and career.
“I’m dedicated to fitness, exercise and health,” said Ms. Noblitt, a former high school and college soccer player. “I needed to get out of that restaurant life.” She became a personal trainer in 2023.
Ms. Andrade made adjustments by limiting her late nights and paying more attention to health and fitness. But after years of “always being together,” the long hours of separation created challenges.
“We never saw each other, which ended up in arguments,” Ms. Noblitt said. “So we learned how to communicate. We were both so busy with work that we had to make appointments to see each other.”
Last year, they discussed starting a family, but freezing eggs was stressful for Ms. Andrade, who feared doctors and needles. But Ms. Noblitt’s persistence paid off.
“I knew it was something I had to do if I wanted Lauren to carry one of my eggs,” Ms. Andrade said. “The whole process was emotional, but with a wonderful medical team, we were able to fertilize two good-grade eggs, a boy and a girl.” (They will be implanted at a later date.)
On Feb. 24, 2024, after a wine tasting with friends at Cornell Vineyards in Sonoma County, Calif., Ms. Andrade surprised Ms. Noblitt by dropping to one knee. “When we all started crying, there was complete silence until I proposed,” Ms. Andrade said.
On Aug. 2, while the women were having drinks at Maison Premiere in Brooklyn, Ms. Andrade’s “happy place,” Ms. Noblitt proposed by placing a diamond ring on her finger.
The women were wed June 20 at the Miami-Dade County Marriage License Bureau with the deputy clerk, Katherine Fernandez, officiating. Kaitlin Noblitt, Ms. Noblitt’s sister, attended and joined them for a celebratory dinner at LPM Miami, followed by drinks with more friends at Carbone Vino in Miami’s Coconut Grove.
“Lauren is such a positive force in our lives, a little ball of sunshine,” Ms. Andrade said. “She is totally honest, which is what I love the most about her.”
The couple is planning a wedding celebration for about 150 guests on July 20 in Mallorca, Spain.
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