If you want to get technical, the initial meeting goes all the way back to First Grade at Milford Brook Elementary School. Though it seems hard to believe, Lutfi had a crush on Hailey since the moment he laid eyes on her purple tie-dye outfit and matching headband. When he asked her to help him hand out munchkins on his 7th birthday, he knew he would be in it for the long haul. They did not make it official just yet, but their journey was far from over. The story continues in Middle School when they reconnected and quickly went from friends to something more. After texting every single day and hanging out all summer long, Lutfi asked Hailey to be his girlfriend during their Freshman Year of High School on Christmas of 2009 and they have been together ever since. The rest, as they say, is history.

Lutfi and Hailey planned an outing in Red Bank on Sunday, October 4th of 2020. Hailey had to say goodbye to her childhood pug, Ruby, earlier in the year and they were going to look at puppies with her parents to try and fill the space Ruby had left in their hearts. Little did Hailey know, Lutfi had a bigger plan in the works. When they arrived, Hailey's mom texted her to meet them at Riverside Garden Park before the puppy store. Hailey was confused, but her mom told her there was a really cute dog they just had to see for themselves. As they walked into the park, there was a photographer taking pictures of the sweetest, most adorable black pug Hailey had ever seen. Her dad told her to pet it, which confused her even more, but again, she obliged. Nothing beats the chance to pet a cute puppy, right? When she crouched down to meet the pug, someone handed her a letter. As Hailey read it, she realized it was written by Lutfi from the pug's point of view. The pug (who would soon become their beloved Josie) promised that she would come home with her and love her, but first, "Lutfi has a question for you. Turn around!" When she turned, Lutfi was down on one knee asking Hailey to marry him. Looks like one thing can beat a cute puppy - a cute puppy and a proposal!