As most of you may know, we are big on good food and experiencing a great meal. Whether it’s one of us cooking for the other (Let's be honest it's almost always Christina cooking for Ben), going out to one of our favorite date night restaurants, or tapping into our Football based wanderlust once a year while crafting the itinerary of the trip around the best cuisine of that city. It really is a true core of our connection to each other. So, it really is quite fitting that we found each other in the dining room of a restaurant. Christina was out for her birthday dinner at her favorite restaurants (at the time -_-), Nosh. Christina had a friend who knew Chef Joe Zolnerowski quite well so he took a visit to her table while they were celebrating. It wasn't often that Chef would come out to a table unless they were very important. Ben noticed him at the table and it was at this same moment a beautiful blonde stood up and smiled to her group that Chef was talking with. It was a smile that lit up her whole face and accentuated every single feature. Chef then walked away but Ben was left starring (maybe a little too long) at Christina unable to forget that mesmerizing smile. Upon Chefs return to the kitchen Ben quickly took action to inquire about who was at that table he was just talking to. He explained his relation and then noted that they were celebrating Christina's birthday. As any good server will tell you, a birthday is a great opportunity to either push for 18% gratuity, hopefully make a lasting impression, or both. Since Ben didn’t happen to be her server that night, he would have to do the latter. Chef took it upon himself to make a second pass at the table and mention a server had been asking about her. Christina thought she saw Ben looking over at her table so she was intrigued at the notion. Chef circled back to Ben and recommended he buy her a drink. After buying that drink for her, Ben found his way through the rest of his shift constantly stopping into Christina's table any chance he got. Making a new joke or telling a funny story he took any excuse to stop by and check in on Christina. The night ended at the restaurant and their doors closed. It was just the remaining staff closing down and Ben & Christina...still talking. Finally as the staff made their exit for their post shift drink, Ben asked Christina to join them and she did. They talked for hours among the other staff members existing in their own world finding new things to talk about any chance they got. Once they left, Ben awkwardly asked for Christina's number in only a way he could. She happily exchanged it with him. She made sure to talk to him until she returned from her trip where after, they went out on their first official dinner date.

Before the proposal… Ben and Christina found the Golden Arrow in Lake Placid back in October of 2020. This was an especially difficult time in their lives dealing with the grief and loss of Jordan, Christina’s older brother. While there, they stumbled upon a boat dock and had found a deep connection to it with its peaceful allure. This moment, in this place, connected them back to one another and they felt Jordan there with them in spirit as they began to understand how to move forward without him. This place now was special to them and would be forever. Now for the proposal… This story takes place while on a trip up North to Vermont then making a small overnight stop back to Lake Placid where they had returned to multiple times since their first visit back in 2020. This trip set the stage perfectly for Ben. Getting anything over on Christina is no small task, anyone who knows her well knows that. Ben had to do everything a step ahead of her along the way and anyone who knows him well knows that is no small task, as well. Have you ever had to be so cunning in trying to pull off a plot that you involved total strangers? That is exactly what a surprise of this magnitude took to pull off. Ben recruited the help of the Golden Arrow staff to help him execute this perfect proposal. He was able to get the ring into the hands of the staff member that volunteered to help. All this was done as to not raise suspicion with a protruding box in Ben’s pocket. When the time came to leave for dinner all the pieces were in place. They headed down to the boat dock where they planned to take sunset pictures. Upon their arrival to the dock, a perfectly placed stranger would offer to take their picture. As Ben went to claim his phone back from the individual and inspect the quality of the photos, the stranger slyly slipped the box back to Ben. He returned to Christina for the last time as his girlfriend. From that point they are connected even further to this place with another new beginning and Jordan by their side. They now excitedly wait for you to join them for their wedding this October.