* * *
Fave Moments on Social Media
Social media is all about engagement. It is about creating content that people can relate to and have something to say about. That’s why we’re always looking for fun, new ways to interact with our supporters. Here are a few of our favorite moments:
Wedding watch parties. This memory dates back to the LIB wedding-day finale in March 2020. In the days leading up, we noticed that many of our fans were talking about what they were going to wear for our big day. As it turned out, fans all over the world hosted wedding watch parties. Some even printed out life-size pictures of our faces and used them as masks. And there were a lot of cakes and cupcakes with our likenesses printed on them. We were so thankful to see how invested supporters were in our love story and how it gave them hope that they could go out and find a similar love of their own.
TikTok dances. After finishing the NYC and LA press tours, we found ourselves quarantined at home, still reeling from the excitement of the last few weeks. So like the rest of the world trying to figure out where to channel that pent-up energy, we turned to TikTok. Once our dance to Cookiee Kawaii’s song “Vibe” went viral, we were hooked! Some of our favorites include reenacting the Titanic end scene, our clothing roulette wheel, being my wife for a day, and our many dance routines. We learned that sometimes the simplest TikToks make the biggest waves: our video of Cameron spontaneously dancing to Saweetie’s “My Type” has more than 14 million views.
Quarantine Diaries. As with TikTok, we wanted to make the most out of being in quarantine. After a few brainstorming sessions we realized what better way to do that than by creating a mockumentary about our experience in quarantine we called The Quarantine Diaries. The series really took off, and we think the reason for that is because it features situations we can all relate to during quarantine: work getting interrupted by home life, coming up with ways to entertain while being stuck inside, and being driven crazy by your spouse and your pets. The best part of The Quarantine Diaries was the chance we got to work together to create comedy, which is something we both cherish.
Lauren’s Jeep surprise. Lauren has dreamed of having a white Jeep Wrangler since watching Clueless as a young girl. For her, it is more than a vehicle—it is a symbol of independence and adventure. When Cameron learned of what it meant to Lauren, he came up with a plan to surprise her with the Jeep and record her reaction for a YouTube video. It was incredibly rewarding, as Lauren got her childhood dream fulfilled and Cameron got to make that happen and capture her joy.
chapter twenty-three NEW REALITIES
Cameron
So what’s next? Lauren and I ask ourselves that question all the time. We’re grateful to have supporters who let us know they also want to see where we’re headed. When we asked our community what questions we should answer in The Newlywed Game on an episode of Hanging with the Hamiltons, the biggest question on everyone’s mind was “When are y’all having a baby?” However, the runner-up question was “Where do I see us in ten years?”
“Business owners with kids in their dream home living happily,” Lauren wrote on her whiteboard. My response: “Two kids, we have a business together, I have my separate AI business, a big house for our whole family, and two dogs.” (Not bad for a former dog-a-phobe!)
Lauren’s and my journey together is just beginning. Ambition is one of the things we first connected over back in the pods, and our vision and goals have only increased since then. We want to build an empire together and we’re not afraid to admit it, in the same way we’ve never shied away from showing vulnerability in our relationship.
Lauren and I want to continue creating together in much the same way. There are so many more stories we want to tell. To that end, we acquired the studio space we’ve been dreaming of and assembled a production team so that we can make content on a larger scale. On our YouTube channel, we are focusing on the story of our marriage and our family as it continues to grow. We also have our show, The Love Seat, where we dig into everything from love languages to long-distance relationships to keeping the romance going in marriage. We’re also continuing to develop scripted narratives that give us a chance to tell stories that extend beyond us and our lives. Lauren and I love sharing our narratives and connecting with people, so we’re excited to see where that passion leads us in the years to come.
Lauren
Empires aren’t built in a day. We know that. That’s why we make sure to have short-term goals in addition to the longer-term ones. Even if you’re not actually running a business with your spouse the way Cameron and I are, it’s important to run your marriage like a business. You can do that and still have time for fun and romance. In fact, the more seriously you take the logistics of marriage, the more time and energy you’ll have for pleasurable pursuits. Remember, it’s all about finding balance. Organization is key to that.
In our weekly Monday planning meetings, we’ll often use mock seriousness to keep it light. “Thank you for attending today’s meeting, Mr. Hamilton,” I might say. “On the agenda for today is X, Y, and Z.” We’ll cover any content deadlines that are happening that week or new branding opportunities to discuss. And we’ll cover personal commitments, from doctors’ visits to plans with friends and family. Having a firm handle on the short-term itinerary frees up the time and mental energy needed for more ambitious long-term planning.
Cameron
Family looms large in our long-term planning. We have settled on the idea of two kids (three on accident as Lauren likes to say), though we obviously recognize that we don’t have total control over the miracle of life. Whatever happens, we will accept the blessing.
We do have some control over the timing. More and more, I envision myself as a father: reading books to the kids until they fall asleep, kicking a soccer ball around with them in the backyard, teaching them how to help out around the house. I recognize becoming a father will come with trying days and continuous work, but I also think about how much I appreciate everything my parents did. My deep admiration for my parents inspires me to want to raise children with Lauren and watch them grow into their own people.
On the other side, Lauren and I celebrated our two-year anniversary in November 2020 and still enjoy focusing on each other. Of course, we understand that couples continue evolving together, kids or not, but we also know children are a massive commitment in all respects. We are still tuning the dynamics of our working relationship and are relishing this opportunity we have to create together. If it looks effortless, then we are doing our job, because the truth is that what we create requires a constant, concerted effort. Sharing our lives with the world is truly rewarding for us, so we wouldn’t have it any other way. But when we bring a baby into the world, we want to make sure we have our work lives as managed as possible so we can devote our energy to our child.
Lauren and I also have other items left on our pre-kids checklist, including travel. We have support from all around the world, including Brazil, Germany, South Africa, Australia, Japan, and many more places. We would love to visit these countries and get to know the people and culture of each. We also have visions of owning a larger home all four of our parents can stay in periodically and help raise our children.
Lauren
That’s not what people want to hear, we know. Especially my mother!
“What do you mean ‘a few years’?” she asked the last time we talked about it. “I’m ready for grandkids right now!”
“You know that’s not how it works, right?” I teased.
She has plenty of support from our fans. Like we’ve said, they are constantly looking for any sign that I’m carrying.
“Check out the glow on Lauren’s face,” one commenter wrote recently. “Oh she’s definitely pregnant!”
“Her face looks fuller,” another added. “It must be on.”
I’m like, “Um, no, my face is fuller because we’ve been quarantined and I’ve been eating potato chips for breakfast!”
Seriously, though, the pandemic has loomed large through the early phase of our marriage—remember, it first struck the US right around the time of the February 2020 LIB premiere. Being in quarantine has forced us to confront issues head-on, including how to share space and how to make time apart, even when you’re together 24/7. It’s also given us a better understanding of what it means to be a stand-up partner. When you’re in lockdown, small disagreements can quickly snowball into major issues. It’s fortunate that our relationship started from a place of compassion and communication in the pods (which, when you think about it, were a kind of quarantine). During the pandemic, we’ve been able to use those tools to practice patience with each other and take each day as it comes.
That goes for family planning too. Cam and I are used to the pregnancy pressure by now. We’re happy to keep everyone in suspense. And that’s the advice we give other couples. When it comes to starting a family, the only timeline that matters is the one you and your partner agree to.
Cameron
From the beginning of our relationship, the focus has been on each other, without letting outside voices interfere. From producers trying to nudge us in one direction or another, to family and friends weighing in, to supporters and critics all over the world telling us what they think of our relationship—the key is to block out outside influence and concentrate on doing what we agree is right for us and our relationship. This means many different things: never talking behind each other’s back, respecting each other’s individuality and need for space, not keeping secrets, continuing to have conversations about things that bother us, and so much more. We don’t always get it right, but our relationship continues to grow each day.
I think back to our very first date in the pods. When I talked about “taking over the world” to Lauren, I meant through my work in AI. I had everything mapped out in my mind and planned on going it alone. People routinely ask me, “Are you still a scientist? Do you still work in AI?” The simple answer is that I will always be a scientist; it is part of who I am. Instead of working for a corporation, I now operate my own business, Alliance AI, where I only work on projects I am passionate about. One of my passion projects is a virtual assistant aimed at helping people with memory disorders. The biggest challenge for me now is balancing my AI projects with the creative projects Lauren and I collaborate on. However, it’s a good problem to have—I wouldn’t have it any other way. Put simply, my work in AI is still a critical part of the plan, and my relationship with Lauren has only added to my vision for the future.
What I’ve come to realize is that a relationship does not fix the problems in your life: you yourself are responsible for becoming whole. A truly satisfying relationship is one where you both retain your individuality while simultaneously enriching each other’s life through mutual love, respect, and compassion. A love like that is the most empowering force in the world. With Lauren by my side, there’s nothing we can’t do.
Lauren
It reminds me of something I said after our first pod date: “I’m ready to continue with this experiment.” I was referring to the LIB experiment. But what I’ve come to understand is that love itself is the actual experiment. When Cameron and I committed to a life together, it was the ultimate leap of faith. Saying “I do” wasn’t the end of the experiment. It was just the beginning. The future is filled with unknowns. And love is most definitely blind. But with true love on our side, Cameron and I can see everything so much more clearly.
Christmastime with the Speed family. Lauren Speed-Hamilton
The legendary Hamilton Christmas starts young (our 1997 pictured here). Pamela Hamilton
Man’s best friend. Cameron Hamilton
My previous life as a wilderness firefighter. Cameron Hamilton
Cuba was nothing short of magical. Lauren Speed-Hamilton
Italy was a place I dreamed of visiting my whole life, fueled by my love of pasta and wine. Lauren Speed-Hamilton
Behind the scenes of Pod Life! Love Is Blind was a life-changing experience. Michael Hartz
A beautiful little oasis in the forest for a Love Is Blind date. Nieshia Crawford
Our time in Mexico on Love Is Blind was so special. Nieshia Crawford
Moving into our apartment on Love Is Blind. Our first home together! Michael Hartz
So many emotions on our wedding day, but the main one is happiness. Nieshia Crawford
Love and family are our greatest gifts. Nieshia Crawford
Our second Thanksgiving together. Lauren Speed-Hamilton
Been a Daddy’s girl my whole life! My sense of humor, charisma, and business savvy all came from Poppa Speed! Cameron Hamilton
Summer lovin’ in Atlanta. Lauren Speed-Hamilton
My ultimate role models. I’m proud to be a son and brother. Cameron Hamilton
Art is our inspiration. Lauren Speed-Hamilton
Dressed up for date night out to the theater! Cameron Hamilton
Sparx! Named after the sparks that flew when we met. Cameron Hamilton
My fur baby. Cameron Hamilton
Love Is Blind premiere party. It’s happening! Lauren Speed-Hamilton
On the go in New York! A whirlwind of new experiences on the press tour. Lauren Speed-Hamilton
Capping off an incredible week talking about Love Is Blind! If you look closely, you can see the Hollywood sign in the back. Lauren Speed-Hamilton
Squeezing in a Knicks game during our press tour. Lauren Speed-Hamilton
Backstage at the reunion episode with our friend Diamond. Cameron Hamilton
Magical date night guaranteed at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Cameron Hamilton
Quarantine meant months at home, but we still made it special by cooking dinner together—our favorite low-key date night! Lauren Speed-Hamilton
A Jeep surprise! A symbol of independence and adventure for Lauren. Cameron Hamilton
We started our YouTube channel “Hanging with the Hamiltons” to share more about our lives and tell the stories we want to tell. Some of our best videos are the ones where we make each other laugh. Lauren Speed-Hamilton
Hamilween. Welcome to the greatest show on earth! Demetrious Williams
Celebrating our second anniversary in style! Robot Booth
Always and forever. LaJoy Photography
acknowledgments
We would first like to thank our family at CAA, particularly Cindy Uh and Kate Childs, for guiding us through every step of the process. We are grateful to Simon & Schuster/Gallery Books for believing in our story and taking such great care of us. In particular, we would like to thank Natasha Simons and Maggie Loughran for providing crucial feedback on every draft of this book, as well as Jennifer Robinson, Lisa Litwack, and Abby Zidle. We would also like to thank Dan DiClerico and Rebecca Paley for their invaluable input in telling our story. We are grateful to Momma Hamilton for providing feedback on the later drafts as well. We are so appreciative of the unwavering support our friends and family have shown us throughout this entire process—including when we got married on a TV show! Last, but definitely not least, we would like to thank our supporters for your constant love and for inspiring us to write this book. You all are the best of the best.
about the authors
CAMERON HAMILTON is a data scientist from Maine who runs his own AI consulting firm, Alliance AI. His passion is using technology to improve people’s everyday lives, especially those who suffer from chronic conditions such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. Some of his past work includes developing systems that reduced money laundering for major banks and, in partnership with Weill Cornell Medicine, improving intervention for patients who suffer from concussions by predicting prognoses. Since Love Is Blind, Cameron has collaborated with Lauren on building their catalog of creative ventures, including the launch of their popular YouTube channel, Hanging with the Hamiltons.
LAUREN SPEED-HAMILTON is a Detroit-proud content creator and CEO of The Speed Brand, a creative firm in Atlanta that supports art
ists through digital marketing, art direction, community planning, and various forms of social media. She has spent most of her life in entertainment (her father is the creator of BET’s Video Soul), starting with her successful career as an international model, followed by stints as a radio and TV personality and lifestyle vlogger. Lauren is thrilled to be putting her creative talents to use in the development of new storytelling projects with Cameron.
FOR MORE ON THESE AUTHORS:
SimonandSchuster.com/Authors/Cameron-Hamilton
SimonandSchuster.com/Authors/Lauren Speed
SimonandSchuster.com
@GalleryBooks
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Leap of Faith Page 19