Mischief night, 2009. Carteret High School's football stadium. The home drum majors rounded the track to greet the visiting band and shake hands with their JFK High School counterparts. Both were dressed in ridiculous outfits (he being dressed as the Joker, and she being dressed as a high school drum major). Neither Dan nor Aly had any inkling that they would ever meet again, let alone that their handshake would be the first contact they would have with destiny. September 17, 2017. The dark underbelly of the online dating website OKCupid. A match, some cheesy pickup lines, mutual friend explanations, and several Broadway and Rocky Horror references later, the two would be hooked on each other. Never wanting the conversation to end, and needing to meet in person as soon as possible. Only after their first date did they come to realize that they had met all those years before, and only after that epiphany did he (slightly) regret the short joke he made to his other drum major on the walk back to the home stands. Dan still casually fights the idea of fate, but this is some pretty compelling evidence to the affirmative!

Dan had several different plans on how he would pop the big question! From attaching the ring to Aly's car keys, to sneaking into the Majestic Theatre (the Broadway theatre that houses Aly's favorite show - Phantom of the Opera) and proposing onstage. However, when a family trip to Disney started forming, he knew he had his moment. But where?! Well, he knew Aly's favorite place in the world is Paris, France...and Dan figured if he couldn't propose there, the France pavilion in Epcot would be the next best thing! Dan has shared with Aly that the whole trip leading up to the proposal he was terrified she would see the ring, which he hid in her father's backpack, before the big moment. And Aly jokes Dan was acting weird the whole time, so she knew something was up anyway. Even with the small inkling she had, when Dan lead Aly over to the picturesque fountain and Eiffel Tower display and dropped down on one knee, she burst into the happiest tears and squeaked, "Yes!" Aly's parents helped trying to keep the moment a secret the whole trip and were able to include Dan's parents on FaceTime so they could be a part of the moment as well! Dan and Aly hope the next chapter of their lives together will hold all of the love of family, joy of surprises, and a little Disney magic too!