Derek and I’s love story started off like any other modern fairytale—meeting on tinder. I remember seeing a picture of him playing basketball on his profile and just thought woah definitely an automatic swipe right! I woke up that morning with a notification saying we matched and a message from Derek saying “heyy” After talking for a few weeks, we met in person and I remember immediately texting my roommate that I had butterflies in my stomach hanging out with him for the first time. After a few months of getting to know each other with lots of coffee dates, walks in the park, and heart to heart convos, Derek and I were both nervous to be in a relationship because it would both be our first ones. I mean who actually ends up with their first boyfriend or girlfriend right?! (apparently we do 😉) Derek then dropped the I love you bomb and we became “officially boyfriend and girlfriend” ❤️ As I finished up my senior year at Binghamton, Derek would come and visit me and embrace going to the famous bar in Bing aka The Rat. We moved to Buffalo together as I finished nursing school, and are now back in Westchester living with our two puppies, close to both of our families! The last few years have been a dream—being able to grow together, adventure together and embracing all that life has to offer together. Derek is the most patient, handsome, funny, loving and thoughtful future husband in the world and saying yes was the easiest decision I have ever made. I can’t wait to take this next step together 💕

Looking back on the day I met Shanelle, my life changed forever. It was May 24, 2016. The Oklahoma City thunder were destroying the golden state warriors and we were about about to go up 3-1 in the western conference finals. I thought she was a jinx for the warriors because for the first time during the conference finals, the warriors were losing. I was stunned when I first saw Shanelle; she was so beautiful I wanted to believe there was no way she could be a jinx (spoiler alert: she is in fact a jinx.) Shanelle really didn’t say anything specific, but there was a sweet aura, and a special kindness and joy she had about herself that was just different. It’s like just being around her, made me want to be a better version of myself. To this day, I can’t pinpoint what exactly it is, but Shanelle has this light about her that just makes everything better After getting to know her, I discovered not only is she the sweetest and most loving person I have ever met in my life, but her drive and passion to be the absolute best in whatever she does, made her standout from literally anyone else that I have ever met in my life. Sure she looks like an adorable Disney character that a child would just adore, but underneath lies a self determined and tough human being that wants to achieve the greatest goals in her life. Every day I am amazed at how fiercely she cares for her patients at work, and how she makes it all look so effortless. Everyone in her life that she comes across, is better for knowing her and I can’t believe I get to be one of them. We have two amazing dogs together, Diddy and Hercules, that tend to get under her skin from time to time. However,she still remains the most loving mother to them. She constantly buys diddy toys for him to destroy; while giving Hercules all of the treats his big stomach can handle. How she is with our two puppies makes me even more excited to see her become a mom in the future. If our little kids are even half the person she is, I’ll be so unbelievably proud. I’m truly blessed that I have been able to fall in love with a person that not only is the love of my life but I truly know is my best friend. We make each other laugh constantly from our jokes to our mannerisms. We balance each other out in the best way possible. From the bottom of my heart, I can’t imagine a life without her. As amazing as our wedding day will be, I’m more looking forward to just waking up each and every day knowing Shanelle is by my side and being able to officially call her my wife.