Ryan and Kristin met online, through a dating app called “Hinge”, during the height of the Pandemic. For Kristin, this journey had started years ago, with many online dating and matchmaking flops. For Ryan, this journey started because everything shut down in 2020 and he knew online dating was the only way to meet someone. Their first few dates were truly COVID inspired - via FaceTime, a picnic 6 feet apart, and a masked dinner. They knew pretty quickly that it was time to burst their pandemic bubbles and close that 6 foot gap. It didn’t take long for them to know that it was time to delete “Hinge”.

Following a year of dating, Ryan knew it was time to take the next step. He began to plan an epic proposal that would take place during a family trip to Ocean City, NJ. The day started with flooding rains, which threatened to ruin the perfect beach proposal. However, the afternoon skies cleared which allowed the plan to go off without a hitch (and it's a good thing since there was no plan B!). Ryan sent his sister, Ashley, and her Fiancée, Nick, to the beach to clear the area and get everything set up. Ryan told Kristin that they were taking a walk to an Oyster Bar for appetizers. As they started to walk down the beach, Ryan pointed out a lifeguard stand as the place where he had first told his family about her the year before. Walking past the lifeguard stand, Ryan pointed out a sign on its side that he wanted Kristin to see. She turned to see that it said “Krissy, will you marry me?”, and turning back to Ryan she found him on one knee with a ring in his hand asking her the same question. Kristin immediately said “Yes!” and the beach erupted in cheers. Ryan’s surprises weren’t done, however, as Nick delivered champagne to them in the lifeguard stand and Ashely was there to take their engagement pictures. Kristin was so excited to tell her family about the engagement, but her parents weren’t answering their phone. Little did she know, they were back at the beach house waiting to surprise her! After a whirlwind day, the couple got to enjoy a lovely vacation with their families to celebrate their engagement.