We are getting married!

You've no doubt heard it a million times: Career advancement is as much about who you know as what you know. As such, I had decided on that hot summer day that networking on a rooftop with other Columbia alumni and students would be a good idea - at least compared to staying in the office for a few extra hours. Little did I know this evening would change the course of my life. Kelly and I first met that evening and our feelings for one another grew stronger over time until it became obvious that we were made for each other.

For our engagement, I had decided to surprise Kelly with a weekend retreat in upstate New York. We had the most wonderful time. We spent our days walking in the forest, relaxing by the fireplace, dancing to live music, and of course eating delicious food. We even went horseback riding for the first time. So much fun! On the second day, after a leisurely walk among the fallen leaves and the warm colors of autumn, we arrived at a beautiful lookout overlooking the valley below. It had been raining earlier that day so we had the place to ourselves. There, in our newly found paradise, I dropped to one knee and popped the question. We memorialized the moment by carving our names into a nearby wooden bench.