Justin and Emily met on a blind date set up by their coworkers, thanks Donna and Trista! Our first date was at Barrett’s on the Pike in Bel Air, Maryland. Even though we both didn’t love the restaurant, we liked each other’s company enough to go on a second date. We both love hiking and bonded over both of our favorite hiking spot- the Maryland Heights trail in Harper’s Ferry. On March 28, 2020, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, Justin and Emily went hiking 5 miles in the pouring rain to the Pinnacle Overlook, because what else was there to do when everything was closed down? It was a cold and wet hike to the overlook and it was so foggy that the view wasn’t even visible. The fog cleared up slightly for just a moment, and that’s when Justin asked Emily to officially be his girlfriend. After that, the rest is history!

In 1953, Justin's grandfather Richie married his grandmother Sandy. On her finger was a beautiful engagement ring with a diamond he had picked out for her. She would wear that ring for the next 37 years before it was passed down to her daughter and then grandson. When it came time to propose, Justin created a new ring around that diamond. Now made up of three stones representing past, present and future, it has a mix of sentimental history and optimistic new beginnings.

Justin had a set of rules to follow for the proposal. It couldn't be either of the places we celebrated previous milestones, it couldn't be somewhere too public, and it couldn't be on or near a holiday. With ring in hand, several attempts were made at the perfect Harper's Ferry proposal (the place that brought us together). Canada caught on fire (twice) keeping Em's asthma in check. Weekend rainstorm after weekend rainstorm happened and then temperatures began to rise. As plans adapted and Em’s amazing friends tried to set up new plans, the ring grew heavier with each passing week. As July 4th approached, the now 8000 lb ring decided it was time. Like all good plans, the July 4th weekend forecast turned into nightly thunderstorms. We picked the best opportunity for fireworks, the Fullerton, MD fireworks. Despite the pouring rain, bright green ninja turtle jacket, and being completely caught off guard, she said "YES!"