Vanessa Barrios & Jon Cardenas
Vanessa Barrios, founder and candlemaker, Pumarosa Candles; Jon Cárdenas, co-founder and head of business development, Pumarosa Candles, and photographer and storyteller, @joncmlife
Home base: Seattle
How did your love story begin? Jon: We met 10 years ago in Caracas, Venezuela, and it all started with a simple like on Instagram. Then, by a stroke of serendipity, I saw her silhouette laughing from across the street. I recognized her from the photos we had liked of each other’s profiles. Feeling a connection, I reached out, and a few days later, we had our brunch date. What was supposed to be just a meal turned into an entire day together, embarking on an adventure that hasn’t stopped since.
Vanessa: Jon’s entrance into my life was like a compelling moment straight out of a storybook. I was casually scrolling through Instagram, liking photos, when I stumbled upon a picture of him in Greece. I liked the photo, and that was it—or so I thought. Out of the blue, he messaged me, claiming he had seen me laughing from a restaurant window. Coincidentally, it was my birthday, and I thought it was too surreal. Skeptical but intrigued, I responded. The rest, as they say, is history.
Favorite thing about one another: Jon: Vanessa’s ability to find beauty in the mundane is what I admire the most. She has this incredible talent for seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary and seeing the good behind any facade, making her a fantastic artist and candle maker and a constant source of inspiration in my life.
Vanessa: Jon’s kindness and his creative mind are what I love most about him. He approaches life with compassion and thoughtfulness, whether in his career or how he treats people. He’s my grounding energy and my biggest motivator.
Favorite date night: Our ideal date night includes exploring new culinary scenes and event experiences around Seattle or simply staying in to cook a delicious meal and watch a movie. We have a passion for discovering new restaurants, sampling diverse cuisines and attending shows, events and any cultural or artistic experiences. It’s our way of traveling the world through our senses and enriching our minds and souls from our home base.
Favorite tradition you have as a couple: Every year, we do our best to take a trip to a place we’ve never been. It’s our way of ensuring that we’re continuously exploring new knowledge, ways of thinking, landscapes and experiences together. These trips have become the highlights of our year and a source of countless cherished memories.
What does your happily ever after look like? Our happily ever after involves building a life filled with moments of love, respect, experiences and creativity. We envision continuing to explore the world, capturing its beauty and sharing stories. Professionally, we aim to merge our passions in a way that allows us to collaborate on projects, combining Vanessa’s passion for crafting premium candles and creating memorable experiences with my business insights to craft impactful narratives. Above all, we are committed to maintaining our curiosity about the world and each other, ensuring the light of our love story remains ignited through every chapter of our lives.