We met as Spiders while attending the University of Richmond. Cassaundra was a junior, just back from studying abroad in Australia, and Stephen was a sophomore. We first met at a party through mutual friends (of which we're lucky enough to have many) and soon discovered we must have had similar schedules as we usually happened to find ourselves in Boatwright Memorial Library at the same time in between classes. We would sit together in the "collaborative section," doing much more talking than studying, and quickly got to know each other well becoming close friends. Although romance hadn't struck quite yet, Cassaundra remembers thinking at one point it was a shame they weren’t dating because they thought so similarly on important matters. That soon changed when Stephen asked her to dinner, which she wasn’t even sure was a date and didn’t end with a kiss. A few days later, the kiss came and we learned all of our friends had been betting on how soon we would start dating. Over the course of almost 7 years, we would both move to NYC for our first jobs out of college, living not far from each other downtown with good friends from Richmond. In August of 2018, we moved in together on the Upper West Side near Lincoln Center and still live there today.

On December 14th 2019, Stephen proposed to Cassaundra. It was his Dad’s birthday and Cassaundra’s Mom was to celebrate her own in several days, so the plan was for everyone to arrive in NYC for a “Birthday Celebration” while unbeknownst to Cassaundra, there was a far more significant objective in the works. On a Saturday in the city, the two families met at Tavern on the Green for what appeared to be celebratory birthday drinks in honor of Mr. Aronson and Mrs. Fincke. However, that plan would take a dramatic turn once Stephen’s Dad would ask to go outside onto the patio where there was a large decorated tree for “Christmas Card Photos.” To maintain the facade of this not being a proposal, Stephen first took several pictures with his family and then suggested that he take a few of the Finckes. Naturally, it then came time for Stephen to take his own pictures with Cassaundra, at which point he took two before saying- “I think we need to take one more, she’s missing something!” He then got down on one knee and proceeded to ask Cassaundra the most important question of his life, holding her engagement ring in his hands. Cassaundra immediately said yes while the two embraced amidst a loud applause from their families and the adjoining crowd at Tavern on the Green. The surprises weren’t over yet though… While Cassaundra thought the group was going to a nearby restaurant for dinner to celebrate the birthdays and proposal, little did she know that her and Stephen’s closest friends were all there waiting to congratulate them! When they had arrived at The Ribbon in their native Upper West Side, the couple was greeted with cheers, embraces, and libations that lasted the entire night. We couldn’t have been happier to share this experience in the company of our families and friends, and are so looking forward to tying the knot in the same fashion!