It was a warm midsummer day on the lower west side of Manhattan when Daniel and Melanie met. Their meeting came after several months of correspondence via the dating app Hinge. They agreed to walk the High Line, an elevated rail trail spanning the Meatpacking District to the Hudson Yards section of New York City. Unsure of the outcome, the High Line was the ideal meeting place. Melanie arrived first. She was deeply tanned and wore a blue denim dress. Her hair was natural, curly, and with plenty of volume. Daniel would later say lovingly of her hair, “It was big and Greek.” Daniel, hindered by traffic on the West Side Highway, arrived later. Daniel wore navy blue trousers and a lightweight peach-colored oxford button-down shirt. After parking, he walked to the predetermined intersection to meet Melanie. He quickly removed his sunglasses and said, “Hi, I am Daniel.” She responded, “Hi, I am Melanie! Should we walk?” They turned and walked down 10th Avenue before climbing the stairs of West 17th Street to enter the High Line. Their conversation flowed effortlessly, having established months of goodwill. They walked until they reached the Vessel, a 16-story art installation in the newly established Hudson Yards. They sat and spoke about family, summer travel, books, and podcasts. Unbeknownst to Melanie, Daniel had secured a dinner reservation at Cookshop, a nearby eatery. They entered the restaurant wearing masks as the pandemic entered its final days of Covid-19 restrictions. The restaurant was vibrant and loud as socially distant, albeit hungry, New Yorkers dined out for the first time in many months. They continued their conversation over glasses of sauvignon blanc and appetizers. Melanie, who ordered first, failed to order an entree, which troubled Daniel. He followed her lead and did not order an entree. He thought, perhaps, the date wasn’t going well after all. Melanie maintains that a softspoken waiter and background noise hindered her dinner order. Daniel suspects it was her nervousness. The couple still disputes this controversy to this day. Daniel, eager to keep the date going, suggested dessert. To his delight, she agreed! They left the restaurant and began walking towards the West Village, where they found Julietta, a gelato cafe nestled between Bleeker and Christopher Street. They continued walking along the cobblestone streets of the West Village until they found an empty bench adjacent to Chelsea Park. There, they continued their conversation into the early morning. As the night drew to a close, they embraced and agreed they should meet again. Melanie was eager to see Daniel before her annual summer vacation in Cyprus, which was ten days away. Before Melanie hailed an Uber and Daniel returned to his car, they agreed to meet the following weekend for dinner in Long Island City, a neighborhood of Queens. As they departed, they concluded this was no ordinary first date. They were correct; the date lasted over eight hours! Their second date began with a walk along the promenade of the East River, overlooking midtown Manhattan, the United Nations Headquarters, and the southern tip of Roosevelt Island. The famous 1940’s neon Pepsi-Cola sign was the backdrop for their first kiss. Not to be outdone, their second date lasted nine hours! Before Melanie’s departure, she asserted that Daniel should not expect much communication while she was in Cyprus. She explained her time would be occupied with family, dinners with friends, and beach trips with her nieces and nephew. Daniel smiled and nodded; he sensed her fierce independence. To his delight, they spoke frequently. Since that warm summer day, the two have forged an incredible bond built of respect, appreciation, encouragement, and love. It was nearly two years since their first date that Daniel proposed to Melanie at sunset, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea at Anassa Hotel in Cyprus. The couple is eager to begin their lives together and is grateful for your attendance.