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Question

Ben & Hayley: How It All Began

Answer

It all started in July 2021, when Ben was sitting in the courtyard of a Nantucket hotel with his Uncle Ricky, having one of those classic “guy talks” about life, sports, and—let’s be honest—girls. In true Uncle Ricky fashion, his solution wasn’t advice, it was matchmaking. He pulled out his phone and showed Ben a picture of a longtime family friend who also happened to be a yoga instructor. Now, this wasn’t just any picture. It was Hayley mid–yoga pose, balancing in a way that made Ben realize two things: 1. He should probably stretch more. 2. He definitely wanted to meet her. So, Ben did what any modern man (stuck in 2010) would do—he slid into her Facebook messages. Yes, Facebook. Not Instagram, not Snapchat. Facebook. Miraculously, Hayley responded. Though she added she wouldn’t be free for three weeks. She said it was because she had a funeral, but Ben was convinced it was just her polite way of saying, “Let’s see if this guy gives up.” Spoiler: he didn’t. On August 5th, 2021, they finally met at Blue Hill Country Club for a first date—a place both of their families had belonged to for years, and where Uncle Ricky and Hayley’s dad, Bill, had been lifelong friends. Hayley swears she only agreed to the date because of that Blue Hill connection. Ben swears it was his cute facebook profile picture that convinced her. That first date turned into many more, and by October they were officially a couple. Since then, they’ve shared so much—traveling, cheering at sporting events, dancing at weddings, nights out with friends, countless golf games and plenty of laughter along the way. But the real magic hasn’t been in the big milestones; it’s been in the everyday moments: morning workouts together, movie nights at home, dinners and Sunday morning omelettes. From that chance courtyard conversation to today, one thing has been constant: they keep choosing each other.