We're getting married!

If you ask Carly: Evan and I officially met on March 16th, 2019 in Clinton, CT. However, a few weeks prior, we exchanged a few words on a dating application. The conversation didn't get too far but I remember thinking he was just so handsome. We followed each other on social media, often liking each other's photos but never exchanging words. A few weeks later, I went to a bar in Hartford, CT with my girlfriend who seemed to hit it off with a guy I knew from a local college. He invited us to Clinton, CT to hang out with a group of people and I shortly realized he was very close with Evan. I asked him if Evan was going to be there and he assured me he was going to ask him to come... and he did! I remember Evan walking into the bar and I instantly felt my face blush with nervousness... butterflies truly. He was so confident and outgoing, which really struck me. Specifically, he walked right over to me, introduced himself and gave me a huge hug. From then on, I knew I wanted to experience the warmth of his hugs for the rest of my life. If you ask Evan: Carly and I met on a dating app. We had a few conversations but nothing ever serious came of it. Then one night working at the restaurant, I got a text from a friend that a group of guys are going out to the bar later. He mentioned a girl he was talking to and her friend Carly were coming too. I remember texting him back “wait, you mean Carly Ruzbasan?” When he replied saying yes, I went right to the restaurant owner saying I needed to leave as early as I could that night. In the heaviest Italian accent you can imagine, she says “why why, why do you need to leave.” I yelled, “I have a date Vicky!” Once my shift ended, I drove like a bat out of hell to get to the bar. During the drive, I was so nervous, but so excited to meet Carly. We hadn’t talked much and she lived over an hour away, so it seemed like a sign that she was coming down to the shoreline not knowing we’d see each other. When I walked in the door and saw her for the first time, my heart nearly stopped. I can’t explain the amount of butterflies I felt in my stomach during that first introduction. We were all sitting at a table and my nerves were running so high. With a move I’m still proud of to this day, I told everyone to look at the front door and that the bouncer was throwing someone out. When everyone turned around, I snuck a kiss with Carly. At that moment, I felt all the nerves disappear, and a warm feeling of comfort washed over me.

Evan and Carly’s first date took place on March 29th, 2019 at the First and Last Tavern in Avon, CT. Evan drove all the way from Clinton to Torrington to pick Carly up and go out to the nice restaurant. The date was shared with many laughs and conversations and even continued back to Carly's house where Evan met her family for the first time… and her dog Ava! Ava drew very close to Evan just minutes after meeting him. Worried she would be very protective over Carly, she ended up laying on the couch with them as they spent the rest of their night playing Mario kart.

On April 13th, 2024, Carly’s two childhood friends traveled to Clinton, CT to spend the day catching up with one another. They grabbed lunch together at a beautiful restaurant in Guilford and made their way to a few dress shops to look for a bridesmaid dress for an upcoming wedding. Following the day's events, it continued to a beach in Old Saybrook where one of the friends was adamant about getting group photos. Upon arrival, Carly drove into the secluded beach where she saw a tall, handsome man dressed in a suit, holding a dozen roses. There, she saw Evan with a beautifully curated set up of shells, lanterns and wooden initials. When Carly approached Evan, she soon realized what was happening. Evan gave a thoughtfully prepared speech and as tears poured down Carly's face, she jumped to say “YES!” without any hesitation.