We can't wait to share this experience with you!

We met when we were drafted to the same voice studio in college. We spent a lot of time together developing a deep friendship that eventually turned into something more. Tom claims he had no idea Erin was into him, Erin remembers distinctly the moment she saw Tom after a summer break and noticed he had had a major glow up. One thing led to another (yada yada yada à la Seinfeld) and we found ourselves living our power couple dream, performing together, learning together, living together, the whole nine yards. What we didn't realize was that we had a lot to work on in ourselves, and eventually separated. After a post-separation performing tour in Europe together (as roommates, no less), we both pursued different paths- Tom as a professional singer, Erin as a music educator and researcher in psychiatric settings- but found a commonality in our academic home base of Boston (Tom living there, Erin studying remotely and in-person there) that kept our ships in the night in the same ocean. The next few years were a huge tumultuous but necessary mess, highlighted by a wild combination of midnight conversations, dramatic airport goodbyes, romantic confessions, and a major head injury that would put the average rom-com to shame. After learning that the best relationships are comprised of two "whole" people, not two halves that make a whole, and working towards our wholeness together and apart, we were finally brave enough to risk it all, all over again. Now, from our home in Harrisburg and with the other love of our lives, our Bernese mountain dog, River, by our sides, we look back and smile that it was all worth it. After all, we both enjoy adventures.

When Tom asked Erin to plan a trip to Alaska, he was immediately labeled as sus. The whole trip, Tom was calm, cool, collected, and likely a bit in denial (or Denali, if you shift the letters a bit- either works). On the day of the proposal, Tom's minor nerves were nothing compared to Erin's dry heaving (Tom made her wait until the end of the trip and there were many close calls already). We walked on the Harding Icefield trail in Kenai Fjords National Park. Midway through the trail, and sweating profusely, we decided to pull over on a lookout. Tom offered to take a picture of Erin, but when she turned around, she noticed that Tom was flopped out a bit on the ground. He had slid on the rocky surface when trying to get on one knee. Until the ring box was out, Erin had no idea what was going on, but then frantically begged him to wait while she untangled her hiking poles from her wrists and eventually she just heaved them to the side somewhere. Who knows exactly what was said, even though the goal was to be present, but the moment was captured by a crowd of people who also pulled off the trail and sat down audience-style as they realized what was happening. Unfortunately, the picture of the moment, taken spontaneously by a nature photographer, may be lost to history because it was never emailed, or might just be sitting in the archives of someone else's trip memories. Clamoring back down the trail, Erin told every group that passed, which was fortunate, because how else would they not be worried about her mascara-streaked face (she had no idea)? We recorded our engagement in the trail register and were so excited to call and text our family during spots of service on our trek from Seward to Talkeetna, ending eventually in the pseudo midnight sun of Denali National Park.

Tom: There are so many reasons why I love Erin, truly they are infinite. Every moment we spend together I learn to love her more. She is kind, empathetic, strong, intelligent, resourceful, and patient beyond measure. She has taught me how to be a better person over the past decade, so I can’t wait to see who we will become. Erin: I love Tom's creativity, intensity, and integrity. I love that he finds things physically and emotionally beautiful, even when he can't explain why. I love that he is vulnerable and kind, and that we share a very similar moral code. I love that he laughs with abandon, pursues big risks, and chases his own dreams fearlessly. I love that he is brave enough to be fearful and strong enough to be weak. He empowers me to be myself.