Allie and Ariel met the old-fashioned way - through a dating app. Bumble, the app in question, is ladies' choice, so Allie swiped right on what appeared to be Ariel's extensive baseball profile. They had their first date at Grand Rapids Brewing Company, and Ariel recalled that he was 'hair-fished', because Allie had just donated ten inches of her hair and styled a much shorter 'do than what was featured in her dating app pictures. Both Allie and Ariel had eagerly let their friends know of their date plans, and two Moscow Mules and a pizza later, they exchanged numbers and changed the course of the rest of their lives.

After nearly seven months of dating, Allie took her very first trip to Boston to meet some of Ariel's family (soon-to-be Mother-In-Law, Sister-In-Law, very important people here!!). Allie and Ariel had a whole day of fun in the city before meeting Ariel's family for their very first Red Sox game at Fenway Park. They ate yummy lobster rolls and pizza, rode bikes thru the park, had drinks at the iconic Cheers bar, and exchanged three very important words for the first time. Allie and Ariel were sitting down at Boston Common to take a break from all the walking when Allie confidently looked at Ariel and said "I love you". (Don't worry, thank God, he said it back). This exact spot will come into play just under a year and a half later...

Allie and Ariel were back in one of their favorite cities, Boston, for a friend's wedding. Coincidentally (and not planned AT ALL, seriously) Allie caught the bouquet and was curious if any big moves would be made by her boyfriend at the time - maybe even that weekend. Little did Allie know, that same day of the wedding, Ariel had taken a run in the city and ran past a double-decker tour bus stop and saw that one of its' stops was at Boston Common. He took note of the times it left the next day and therefore set his plan in motion. Tired after the wedding the night before, Allie was moving slowly in the morning but Ariel insisted that she get ready quickly so they could catch a tour bus that left in twenty minutes two blocks from their hotel. In pure Allie fashion, she threw on a beanie, hoodie, jeans, and sneakers and was ready to go. They sat on the top of the tour bus in the chilly fall air and embraced the beautiful views, and then Ariel let Allie know that they had reached their final destination - Boston Common (the same exact park where they said "I Love You" to each other the year before). Before she knew it, Allie turned around and Ariel was on a knee and popped the question. She bawled off every ounce of makeup on her face and said "YES" as people cheered all around them. Little did they know, a man visiting from Austin, TX, had captured the moment on his camera and approached the newly engaged couple to take a few more snapshots, and ended up sending them those unforgettable and treasured photos to them the week after. (He ended up telling them that he too had also proposed to his wife at a beautiful park in London and wished them all the very best in their future together). If you've made it this far you know that first comes love, then comes MARRIAGE. You're invited. Let's party.