James and Brianna first met in 2014 during Symphony Orchestra rehearsal at the University at Buffalo. Brianna had a crush on James from day one, however, life had its own rhythm and their connection took a few more years to take root. James and Brianna would occasionally run into each other on campus, but never really had the chance to say hello. In 2018, realizing they were both back on Long Island after college, Brianna took her shot and messaged him online. James finally wised up and replied with enthusiasm and their conversations felt natural and heartfelt. By May of 2019, they finally took their conversation and friendship offline and went on their first date. James picked Brianna up from her house, and while stopped at a traffic light he turned to her and planted a kiss to “get it out of the way” taking the first-date jitters away. Brianna and James went to a small bar in Farmingdale and talked for hours about friendships, family, and their life experiences. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March of 2020, the two abided by policy and social distancing. They spent time playing video games together, video chatting, and having distant dates outside, making them realize that they truly shared many similar interests and wanted to be with each other for the rest of their lives.

In Summer of 2022, James purchased Brianna’s engagement ring. Amid the natural beauty of Ithaca and the company of their loved ones, James took a heartfelt step and sought her parents' blessings—to which they gave an enthusiastic approval. James was excited and nervous while they were in Ithaca, and made the choice to wait until they could have a more intimate proposal. After returning home from Ithaca, James built up the courage to ask for Brianna’s hand in marriage. He drove her to a beach on the Long Island sound, and she said yes in front of a beautiful North Shore sunset and with a bottle of wine shared between the two.