The Curtins' wedding!

From airport to airport, we finally meet in the French icon of Richmond Va. "The life of a professional traveler does not leave much time for personal life... Mostly busy trying to get to and from places, entertaining guests, clients, partners, then handling all the emails, reports, contracts, proposals in the small little time that is left." - it was essentially the description of both of our lives to each other when we just met sitting at the beautiful brasserie in the core of our hometown. She - from Brazil, chemical engineer, solo world traveler, a tomboy growing up, never saved herself from crazy adventures, taking initiative and aiming for the next steps in life. He - born in the chemical land of Houston, Tx, grew up in the beautiful mountains of Charlottesville, Va, developed himself to be the best in Healthcare consulting, loves the dangerous sports of skiing, mountain biking and well, her. It was August 12th, 2018 - supposedly a Watermelon Festival Day that again we missed, because of work volume, but the evening brought the beautiful gift of our encounter...

The plans to meet again, now knowing we were technically neighbors, took us to a German boutique restaurant called Dutch & Co. First, Priscila invited Matt for a pre-dinner glass of wine and cheese board at "City", aka her small PH overlooking the city. Matt could realize how OCD she was, everything had a right place, a bit of tacky colorful decoration, but modern and comfortable. Priscila was very happy that Matt was 15 minutes late to arrive and she thought he already seemed perfect to follow her unsolicited delays in various events. We walked to the restaurant, had amazing few courses sitting at the bar, interacting with the bartenders and just being ourselves. On that summer evening a gorgeous sky opened up and Matt invited Pri to the park bench and watch the moon and stars while we talked about our lives, parents, and some good life stories. "When is he going to kiss me?" would pop up from time to time in Priscila's mind. The handsome prince has always been such a gentleman and he left it to the very end. Matt waked Pri back to her building and approached her for a half hour + kiss. The entire universe stopped at that moment. It was around midnight between August 18th and 19th of 2018 and they could not wait to see each other again.

What an amazing, adventurous and audacious reality to include the love of your life in your unbelievable travel destinations and life style. Yes, we were really meant to be. Only Matt could understand Pri's work life dynamics of jumping from state to state each week. Only Pri could follow Matt in his work travels, put a professional image to play the day and party with him in the several one-timer opportunities: ski resorts on the weekend, in the summer, the bohemian creole night life, the multiple Midwest destinations for date times, the aqua blue waters of an island romantic paradise, the exquisite tastes of Europe, we had the wild chance to meet mostly everywhere and, we did! Then, when back home, where would we be? Here or there? My place or yours? City or Country? City was the cute nickname given to Pri's place and similarly was Country, for Matt's place. Both in the Church Hill area, City was a compact apartment facing Richmond's skyline and Country was a charming remodeled two story home near the parks of our beloved neighborhood.

Lol, please, do not think we are that pretentious with the title of this history. Even though we can be. We just wanted to look down the city because this is what we enjoy, living near the skies. Remember we are travelers. Priscila's happy place is next to an airplane window going somewhere new. Matt's happy ride since he was a boy (well besides fast cars, boats, jets, skis and such) is an elevator ride going up to a fancy hotel room. The perfect mix of these two happy places is the apartment we decided to move in together, first time as a couple. Sounds awesome, and... it actually was! We had unobstructed views of the city and we hosted multiple parties and dinners, as much as our work lives would allow. The 20th and 21th floor scenery was the perfect next step for when we individually left "City" and "Country" to be together at our "PH". This great period seemed very well lived but it only lasted for months. We lived at the largest apartment at the highest residential building in Richmond, from August 11th 2019 through May 30th, 2020. One day, not further from our move in date, Priscila hosted an incredible birthday party for Matt, so thankful that our several friends and family could attend, such a special night that we were so immensely happy to have had. Matt had an epic surprise and Priscila was blessed to count with everyone's help, attention, support and collaboration on the event. We were equality gifted that night, a Friday, September 27th, 2019. It was ten days after Matt's actual birthday (September 17th), when he was missing his friends gatherings so much. Great deliver everyone!

It is February, 14th 2020. Our lives follow the normal patterns of traveling everywhere and meeting back home in our beautiful apartment in the skies... The universe is meanwhile preparing us a full blown global pandemic lock-down but, we did not know the consequences of it and the new life style just yet. It was a bigger dilemma than we could possible imagine, so complex and surreal! From that Valentine's night, when Priscila is arriving home from a work travel, it was a matter of a few weeks to a real life change start. On that night, Matt wanted to cook for Priscila. He has the very best Tuna steak recipe, along with perfect baby potatoes and "al dente" broccoli. Matt had champagne, handpick Burgundy wine that we brought from one of our most amazing travels to France. All was well selected, we had the best table in town, with the best views, and certainly the best company, each other's... In the excitement of the night and, with the fitting decision to immortalize that moment, Matt decided that we no longer needed to wait for a next step. Matt ran to find the family imported gem and ask Priscila's hand. We could not imagine life without each other anymore, and what a gift to have your beloved one throughout this new normal. Priscila was surprised and somehow even happier than before. What a perfect night (and moment in time) to be engaged!

Richmond was the beginning of our story. It lasted longer than we both ever thought individually and not enough after we found each other to celebrate with our friends... Nashville was in the horizon. We signed our next apartment together, this time we named it "The Spa". We found it in January of 2020 and we were supposed to move into it in early May. We always thought that we did not enjoy enough staying in at PH, the tall apartment in Richmond, and soon enough we would have to move. Little did we know that for straight 3 months we were going to be locked in that apartment, only grocery shopping, mountain biking and being very freaky about cleanliness and the dangerous germs surrounding our existence. For many it was a curse to face pandemic as it was. For us, a newly engaged couple, it could not be in better timing. I know it is weird to cheer that but, what we actually cheer in fact is the opportunity to be with each other full time! We lived our best times. Yes, as social animals that we both are, it was lame to not have our friends and family around, our dear bartenders to talk and the opportunity to eat out, but we were lucky to have one another. And we partied in a new way, locked in. Who said we could not dress up and drink champagne, listen to Mozart just because we are at home? The drop the mic week, was the last week we lived in Richmond. An incessant shooting took place at Broad Street on Memorial Day May, 25th, 2020, just across from where we were pleasantly walking after packing our boxes and done with dinner. Possibly the least safe moment in our lives. Then, throughout that week we saw a couple of violent nights (Thursday and Friday) with riots. Saturday morning was our set date to turn keys in and leave. To really drop the mic, we watched the old Dominion Building demolition at 7 am on that Saturday morning, May 30th, 2020 from the comfort of our bed. We had just woken up and were under our covers... What an exit!

It was May 31st, 2020 when we arrived. We spent a day on the road between moving from RVA to Nash. Moving to another city it is usually challenging. Placing ourselves in a different set up, getting used to other routes, resources, set up can be stressful for many. No, not for us. Nashville gave us the breath of a new life, which is how we energize ourselves. Matt and Pri are two beings who enjoy the change, the new, the unknown, the adventure. We found a few new bike paths, new views, new places and, the same closet to share, haha! Thanks to the pandemic, Priscila's time was larger while bank account was getting smaller. She would normally be nervous, but she had certainty that it was a phase in perfect time to stop and smell the flowers, decorate their Spa, and do multiple things while Matt, this one was just working insanely. Their prime time together was mountain biking. Matt worked the rest of his time, Pri started studying for her new endeavors, also made art, designed frames, painted shelves, ordered new furniture, cooked, cleaned, played, taught yoga, networked on a distance and discovered the new city. Matt wished he could do all of that. Pri wished she could have a steady job again like Matt did. We supported each other. The Spa became our office, and our everything. Pri completed the silver-lining experience starting a new job that is even better than before. The Spa Life is here and now - Thanks Nashville!

Pro traveler couple was then home for several months, enjoying the gift of a long pause. The perks of a traveler lifestyle are there to make it doable, bearable sometimes, and other times they reward us. Having several hundred thousands of miles to fly, multiple free nights with hotel points, free rental car days are usually fun but nothing too motivating during a pandemic. What is motivating and frankly very encouraging for the risk of traveling during all of this, it is family... Family that you love and did not have the chance to visit in more than two years. Family that is growing and changing while you are far and distant. After a certain high level of concern, coped with risk management planning and designed solutions for the multiple possible scenarios yes, we went to Brazil! Imagine when we would be able to do it again? In a normal world, i.e. virus free, Matt and Priscila are ultra busy traveling and trying to meet at home or engage their schedules to meet somewhere. To piled in the challenge, the have true quality time with an entire family on vacation, makes for infinitely smaller chances. But then we go, everyone's first time in Rio de Janeiro except Priscila, who was there multiple times acted as the travel planner and city tour guide. Matt meets Priscila's sister and family. Camila, Junior (brother-in-law) and nieces Duda 11 (also Pri's Goddaughter), Rafa 9 and Leticia (or better Chefinha) 2. We spent an amazing week with Pri's family, such unbelievable set of experiences from climbing a mountain through an unusual path around humble homes, visiting the Christ The Redeemer, being part of the city's postal card when riding the Sugar Loaf cable cars, swimming in the southern sea during a gorgeous sunset boat ride, flying an helicopter to see the entire Marvelous City from above... We simply had a blast! A very well sanitized blast! In fact, we had never seen so many rubbing alcohol sniffers and hand sanitizing stations. Ahh... Our beautiful Brazil!

It is now the END of 2021. Matt & Pri's busy lives accommodating time to plan this dream weekend was a rollercoaster, and not like the ones they enjoy so much! The looooong journey to select venues, dates, climate, content, styles, music, colors, food, entertainment, photos and photographers is very, very demanding. We finally got it!!! Please join us in this amazing and memorable time of our lives when we make firm in front of our beloved ones the vows we promise one another. This life is only one and we must make it right. We are dreaming of our day and your presence to witness and enjoy such an amazing time with us. Many, many kisses and hugs, hoping by then we can do it all, from Matt & Pri.