It all started with a coffee and a bagel, or at least a dating app that made those two items its namesake. Coffee Meets Bagel is where Brian and Megan initially matched in late October 2017, which Brian remains convinced was due to the photo in his profile taken at the now-defunct Boston dive bar Mary Ann’s. To the surprise of no one who knows Brian, the initial conversation was over college sports, specifically his Notre Dame Fighting Irish and her Boston College Eagles. The banter was friendly enough, but the match was at risk of expiring after five days of conversations and no dates planned. That’s when Brian threw up a Hail Mary, in football parlance, having his friend ultimately review and hit send on a date request text during a Thursday night out. Megan accepted the request, and the first date was in a dingy, candle-lit East Village bar called The Scratcher. Despite Brian speaking approximately 80% of the time, a dynamic that has since not been repeated, the date went well enough to merit a second one. The dates continued, though the “long-distance” nature of their relationship, aka Megan living on Long Island and Brian in Manhattan, kept meetups to a weekly occurrence. As Valentine’s Day approached, Brian figured it was not only an excuse for a nice dinner, but a deadline to put a label on their relationship. His ask to make the relationship “official” during a post-date walk in a near-empty Bryant Park would not make the cut for a Rom-Com, but fortunately Megan knew how to interpret it, and the couple started their journey officially. As the months went on, Megan moved into Manhattan, the couple took their first trip together (to the aptly named Mermaid Manor in Manasquan, NJ) and met each other’s friends and families. Everything was going smoothly until the world changed in March 2020. Megan’s family business, Ace Party & Tent Rental, was thrust into the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic by helping to set up triage tents and later testing centers, requiring her to stay out on Long Island as she went into the office daily. Meanwhile, Brian was faced with the prospect of working full-time in an East Village bedroom that was 75% bed, so he opted to head back to his native New Jersey. After two years of growing close, the couple was now facing an indeterminate long-distance phase. After a few months apart, Brian and Megan finally reunited, meeting up to hike in New Jersey’s cliffside Palisades. And for the next few months, they gathered each weekend, exploring new walking trails, outdoor beer gardens and beaches all across the Tristate area. Brian and Megan returned to New York City in late 2020 with a renewed sense of appreciation for each other and their families, with whom they had grown closer amid the events of that year. The world began to reopen in 2021 and with it came new opportunities, including a backlog of friends’ weddings, Brian’s “COVID deal” solo apartment that became Megan’s home base while searching for an apartment of her own and the chance to travel internationally to London and Paris to visit Brian’s brother studying abroad. These experiences also served as important touchpoints for their relationship and the basis for deeper discussions around what was next for them.

On April 8, 2023, the ultimate question of “what’s next?” was answered. After months of ring-shopping, meticulous planning and seamless coordination among the Clarke and Hartnett families, it was time for Brian to pop the question. Already on Long Island after a birthday celebration for Megan’s father the night before, Brian suggested that he and Megan get brunch before taking a walk on the beach on the crisp spring afternoon. Neither the brunch being nowhere near advertised nor Brian mysteriously running off to the bathroom five times during the meal were enough to derail the plans, and the couple made their way to the sprawling grounds of the Sands Point Preserve, where Brian led them down a path around the stately Hempstead House and past multiple “No Trespassing” signs to the beach. They walked until they came upon a heart drawn in the sand, artfully crafted by Brian’s brother and his girlfriend, where Brian got down on one knee. Fortunately for all involved, he didn’t stumble over his words too much this time around. The couple then posed for photos from Brian’s brother, their “official” photographer who had been hiding out in the bushes behind the beach, and their “unofficial” photographer, a nearby man with a metal detector who decided he needed to document the moment and promised to share photos but skipped the critical step of providing any contact information (If anyone knows a man of this description by chance, please let him know we’d love to one day see his photos and maybe even feature them on this site). Upon arriving back at Megan’s childhood home, Brian and Megan were surprised by several family members who had made the trip to celebrate, kicking off a string of celebrations sure to last well beyond our wedding day. We are honored to have so many family and friends play pivotal roles in our story, and we are so excited to celebrate with you all in the shadow of the 2025 Ryder Cup-hosting Bethpage Black Golf Course on August 17, 2024.