Celebrity Celebrity Relationships Celebrity Married Life Matt James Shares Sweet Tribute for Girlfriend Rachael's Birthday After Falling in Love 'Against All Odds' 'The Bachelor' star called Rachael Kirkconnell "the best part of everyday," and declared that they're "meant for each other" in his loving 27th birthday tribute By Kelly Martinez Kelly Martinez Kelly Martinez is a TV writer-reporter at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2023. She was previously a Staff Writer at BuzzFeed for over three years. People Editorial Guidelines Published on September 26, 2023 06:28PM EDT Rachael Kirkconnell and Matt James on 'Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen'. Photo: Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Matt James is showering his girlfriend Rachael Kirkconnell with all the love on her 27th birthday. The reality star, 31, posted a sweet tribute to Kirkconnell on Instagram Tuesday, in honor of the special occasion. The couple first met on season 25 of The Bachelor in 2020 and, aside from a brief split, have been dating ever since. James shared a video showcasing an assortment of his girlfriend's candid moments, like enjoying ice cream, playing a dance game at an arcade, him kissing her while on a boat and the two of them sharing s'mores. Matt James embracing girlfriend Rachael Kirkconnell with an ocean view. Matt James/Instagram "Happy birthday Gamora 💚🎂," he wrote in the caption. "people always ask why I have your number saved as 'Gamora' and it’s a simple answer 👽❤️🙆🏾♂️. because in the most unlikely of circumstances, against all odds.. Star-Lord (me obviously) and Gamora (YOU) found each other and fell in love 🙂." "you’re the best part of everyday," he continued. "I love you & can’t wait to create more memories with you 🐥." Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell's Relationship Timeline The Bachelor alum didn't stop there. He also posted a series of Instagram Stories showing off his love and revealing how they were celebrating. The first photo was a shot of Kirkconnell smiling while holding a fluffy white cat. "happy birthday my love 🐥❤️," he captioned it. Rachael Kirkconnell and cat on Matt James' Instagram story. Matt James/Instagram He then followed it up with a picture of the two of them standing side-by-side at New York City coffee spot Culture Espresso, with both of them holding iced drinks and her sporting a messy face — presumably from a delicious dessert. "we're meant for each other ❤️🍪," he wrote. Rachael Kirkconnell and Matt James at Culture Espresso in New York City. Matt James/Instagram The reality star also posted a photo of her enjoying an outdoor "birthday lunch" of yummy sweet potato fries and salad.b Rachael Kirkconnell on Matt James' Instagram story. Matt James/Instagram Finally, as a cherry on top, James revealed "a special birthday cameo" from comedian and actor Beetlejuice. "thank you beetle," he wrote beside a screenshot of their FaceTime call. Beetlejuice, Matt James, and Rachael Kirkconnell on Instagram. Matt James/Instagram In July, Kirkconnell and James opened up to PEOPLE about how they try to "tune out" any negative comments or rumors about their relationship and instead choose to focus on the love they have for each other. "I think that we try to focus more on the positive of everything," Kirkconnell told PEOPLE at the time. "I think we're really used to noise, and we're really used to being able to tune it out after just our relationship beginning." Rachael Kirkconnell and Matt James attend the 2021 Sports Humanitarian Awards on July 12, 2021 in New York City. Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Matt James Calls Rachael Kirkconnell 'the Brightest Spot' in the Year Since His 'Bachelor' Journey "I think at the end of the day, we just really love and appreciate anyone who loves and supports us. And for anyone who doesn't, that's okay too," she continued. "We know it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is each other." Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. James wholeheartedly agreed, emphasizing that it's "all love" between them. "We do things in our relationship for each other. We like to share that with people because they've come along on our long journey together," he chimed in. "There's no pressure. Everything that we do is for one another, and that, I think, is what makes our relationship work so well."