Our greatest adventure begins, we're getting married!

Taylor moved from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. in May 2021, starting a new job and life in a new city. Within a few months, he and Gino connected through texts, but Gino was hesitant to set up a formal date, given Taylor was 23 and new to the city. They lost touch over the busy summer. As summer ended, Taylor and Gino reconnected. One September evening, after an LGBT+ networking event, Taylor, with a bit of liquid courage, sent Gino a simple "Hola 👋" after seeing his gym post on Instagram. Little did he know that one message would change his life. They met that night, September 14th, 2021. Gino had just returned from the gym and invited Taylor over before heading out to their first date at Bar Charley. Taylor was excited and nervous, arriving early at Gino's apartment. Gino was still getting ready, leaving Taylor to meet Emma, Gino’s dog, first. Gino had one major deal breaker: Emma had to like you. Emma’s uncertainty faded as she enjoyed belly rubs and treats from Taylor. By the time Gino was ready, Taylor had passed the first test. Their first date at Bar Charley on September 14th, 2021, marked the beginning of their lifelong adventure together.

Unlike most, our proposal wasn’t planned—it was completely spontaneous and so fitting for us. To celebrate Gino's 30th birthday, we took a trip to Thailand. After long flights and adjusting to the time zone, we explored Bangkok and stumbled upon Chinatown's famous gold market. We had no plans of looking at rings, but on a whim, we tried on a matching set and bought them. I asked Gino how it felt to be engaged after we left the gold shop. Gino was quick to remind me that I still had to get down on one knee and seal the deal by asking for his hand in marriage. Gino has always been a person who is hard to surprise but I was determined to figure out how to pop the question without him expecting it. Later that evening, we had dinner at the Banyan Tree rooftop with a stunning view of the city. We had been wearing our rings which made it tricky for me to propose without him catching on. I reminded him that he still wanted me to pop the question formally and that I'd need his ring to do it when it was time to get down on one knee. I coordinated with the staff our surprise dessert that included "Will you marry me?" written in chocolate. Gino stepped away to use the restroom with perfect timing before dessert not knowing a sweet surprise was waiting from him back at the table. I couldn't have imagined our special moment any other way. ❤️