Eric messaged Rachel on two different dating apps, and she responded on both! Our first date was a long hike across the Walkway Over the Hudson on July 19, 2018.

We were both off of work on August 21, 2020 and Eric suggested we go for a walk. Fortunately, Rachel didn't think twice about his insistence on bringing a backpack or why he was rummaging around in the closet a lot before venturing out. We hiked up and down hills through the woods in Bowdoin Park and found ourselves in a little clearing along an inlet of the Hudson River. We sat for a few minutes and Eric brought out this gorgeous and heartfelt photo book of our past two years together - meeting online, our first date, our trips to farms and food festivals, friends' weddings, and moving into our first apartment. And as Rachel turned to the last page which read "Will You Marry Me?" Eric produced the prettiest ring ever. The rest is history!