As many of you know, we had a small wedding on our original wedding date of September 5, 2020 since our wedding at Flowerfield needed to be postponed due to COVID. We were surrounded by our immediate family and bridal party in the most perfect location - our beautiful forever home. Since that time we have given much thought on what to do with our postponement celebration date of October 30, 2021. With so much still unknown in the world and with Brian's recent leg injury and unknown recovery period, we decided together our priorities should be the bigger picture. So after careful consideration, some tears (from Brian, of course) and many hours of conversations, we made the decision to cancel the postponement celebration and focus our energy on continuing to build our future together. Though there is a tinge of remorse about this decision, we know our future holds so much more happiness for us. We wish everyone could have been there to witness our "I DO's" but we look forward to seeing you all soon, at holidays and birthday parties, cookouts and just because!

Persuaded by friends Brian and I both joined Match.com. I had a best friend who met her now husband on the site and figured it couldn't hurt to give it a try. Brian's friends figured he needed someone to help him curb his crazy ways but I really just think they wanted someone to clean the house for him. We spent a few weeks chatting through text before meeting. Conversation was easy and we decided to meet in person. Against advisement from his friends, he took me to Rockwells - a bar he would frequent. Anyone who has had a night out with Brian understands why taking me to his regular bar was NOT a good idea. The date went well and we continued to get to know one another. The rest is history, with some interesting details. Several weeks after we began officially dating I found out that it was his best friend Liz and her girlfriend Jill that I had been corresponding with before we met. They knew Brian needed some help in this department since his messages would have consisted of introductions like "Sup" (short for what's up for our older readers). I was catfished! Although he was present for the conversations, these ladies definitely took the lead! I also found out that after I left the bar at the end of our first date, Brian pretended he was also going home only to wind up back inside Rockwells. Thinking back, it makes sense why the bartender was surprised and asked him why he wasn't drinking his normal Jagger Bombs. To this day we joke about how I was catfished by two lesbians, who have now become two of my closest friends. As they should, considering the initial chemistry was actually with them!

Long before Brian and I met, my family would head out to Montauk for some fun in the sun. Montauk is also place Brian's family would go throughout the years. Once Brian and I started dating, we continued the tradition bringing along our baby girl, Sadie. July 2019 we coordinated the dates with our families to all be out during the same week. We planned a day to BBQ for us to all be together. After dinner Brian's parents along with my aunt, brother, his fiancé and my mom headed down to the beach at Ditch Plains to light of lanterns in memory of my cousins Matthew and Sean, my Aunt Ruthann and my father - just as we had done the year prior. It is important to note that Sadie was with us. It was a beautiful night but the wind was not cooperating. The first lantern took about 10 minutes to light. It struggled to take flight and ended up crashing down into the dunes. The second lantern took some time but had a more successful flight. For the third lantern it was suggested we move more towards the parking lot, allowing the dunes to block the wind. I offered to help light the lantern but was shooed away, not really thinking much of it so I continued by conversation with my brother. A few minutes later the lantern was lit with the words "Erin, will you marry me?" shining through. The lantern was released and we stood holding our breaths and crossing our fingers that our fate would not come crashing down like the first lantern. Luckily we watched as the lantern fly into the night sky, until it blended into the stars and it was amongst our missing loved ones who were watching over us that night. Looking back at the photos from this night: Brian was down on his knee smiling, our families are around us, we are all overcome with joy and happiness. And there's Sadie. Next to Brian as she always is. Being proposed to in every....single....picture. I'm still not 100% certain that ring was ever intended for me...…..