Autumn, 2017. Leaves had recently turned from their summer shades of green and had just started their annual, oscillating decent when two unfamiliar Bumble accounts flashed to life. Ashley Ertel and Dan Stebbins logged in. Unbeknownst to them, their lives were about to change forever as two then divergent paths were suddenly and rapidly converging. Two swipes to the right and a match was made. Ashley may have been intrigued by the mysteriously but intentionally blank description box in Dan's account and Dan may have been drawn to Ashley's claims of enjoying sarcasm, Patriots games, yearlong iced coffees and fall being the best season. Ashley tentatively initiated, "Hey there". Dan confidently responded "Hey there". Before long, numbers were exchanged the soft yellow glow of the Bumble chat was replaced with the blue text fields of iMessage. Plans were quickly made. "The Last Drop in Brighton" Ashley proclaimed and to the faraway dive bar Dan did venture. Accompanying Ashley this night was Lauren, Ashley's trusted roommate, in the event that this Bumble stranger was a Catfish or proved to be less cool than he seemed online. Conversation flowed with ease as libations were sipped and laughs were shared. After arrival at the second cocktail establishment, Brighton Bodega, Lauren's duties were relieved and the night continued sans chaperone. Despite no supervision, the two destined lovebirds behaved themselves and after one (or two) more stops on what had blossomed into a small bar crawl, Dan dropped Ashley back at home with the then unspoken desire to see her again. The next morning, while nursing an alleged hangover, Ashley wondered if or when she would hear from the new guy from Bumble. Shortly there after, her skepticism was quelled by a text from Dan interested in her current state and wondering when they could schedule their next rendezvous. A couple of bar crawls, a handful of Patriots games, 7 seasons of Game of Thrones and the rest is history.

We traveled to Jamaica for our first tropical vacation together! We were settled in and enjoying our second day on the island, when Dan told Ashley they had dinner reservations at 7pm and that they should be ready and downstairs by 6. Ashley asked where we were eating and why we had to be down so early and Dan told her not to worry about it. Suspicious. After a day full of sun and tropical drinks, the sun-kissed couple went downstairs and walked along the pier to a beautiful gazebo, where Dan presented Ashley with an early valentine's day card containing a beautifully written letter. When Ashley finished reading it, Dan dropped down to one knee, said some wonderful things that Ashley definitely forgot to listen to and asked her to be his wife! After Dan picked Ashley up off the ground and dried her tears, Dan had a romantic, candlelit beach dinner scheduled for the lovebirds to celebrate!!