Welcome to the beginning of our story!

It was the night of Halloween. Emma was supposed to be studying for a physics exam the following morning and Alan went out with the guys. The Platform Sports Bar was filled with people - shoulder to shoulder - in a myriad of costumes. The music was incredibly loud, and not necessarily of incredible quality. Its saving grace was the TouchTunes jukebox playing all of Justin Bieber's newest hits, intermittently dispersed within a playlist of less-than-ideal music choices. Emma was out with her closest friends, enjoying their final moments of senior year at Smith College together. She was not dressed up in costume, but dancing along to the chosen Justin Bieber songs. Alan, dressed as Starsky and Hutch with the man who will be standing as his Best Man, approached Emma's table of friends through the crowd. After some friendly conversation and an exchange of phone numbers, Alan and Emma took a small stroll through Northampton at night. Little did Alan know that his first attempt at a first date would be declined by Emma - but would end with a marriage!

Alan and Emma were in the middle of their two-year long distance relationship. Emma was set to fly out to visit Alan in Massachusetts during his break from military life for a week. The couple always traveled around New England to see the sights, so this felt no different. Alan brought Emma up to Burlington, Vermont just after Christmas time to visit Church Street Marketplace - a little tourist street Emma had been wanting to visit. On the walk to dinner, Alan wanted to make a detour down to Church Street. He popped a knee right there on the wet ground in front of the largest Christmas tree covered in lights - and proposed!