Joe was visiting D.C. on his birthday, only expecting a fun night out with friends at a beer fest at Nationals Park. Emily was going to the same beer fest with her roommate, who happened to be a friend of Joe’s, too. The two groups of friends found each other in a beer line outside Section 107 on the left field concourse. Maybe it was Emily's beautiful blue eyes. Maybe it was the crisp fall air. Or maybe it was the unlimited 3 oz pours. Whatever it was, Joe worked up the courage to talk to Emily in between line hopping. Beer fest only lasted a few hours, but they stayed in touch through the weekend. Joe eventually had to fly home to Boston, but it wasn't long before he was back in D.C. taking Emily on their first date.

Emily and Joe were visiting her parents in the mountains outside Asheville, NC for Memorial Day Weekend. Little did she know, Joe had been conspiring with them for weeks on a plan to pop the question during the trip. That Saturday, they brought lunch to a nearby mountain lodge overlooking a scenic bend in the French Broad River. Joe had the ring in his pocket, waiting for the right moment. A small observation deck sits over the river and Joe thought that would be the perfect place to propose. He searched for something unsuspicious to say to get Emily to walk down there with him. As a group of kayakers came down the river, Joe found his magic words - "Let's get a better look at those kayakers!" (Announced with far more enthusiasm than Joe would typically give to a group of kayakers, this did a poor job at not arousing Emily’s suspicions). Once on the observation deck, they did indeed get a better look at those kayakers and Joe got down on one knee. Champagne was waiting for them back at the lodge, and they celebrated with Emily’s parents and sister, who had secretly made the trip from Richmond to be there for the occasion. It wasn’t until later that Emily noticed the significance of Joe’s outfit – he was wearing the same sweater as the night they met.