We met in Dr. Jill Swiencicki's English 259 Argument and Persuasion class at St. John Fisher College. Joe often forgot to bring a writing utensil, and would ask Shannon to borrow pens frequently. As both were English writing majors, they went on to have several classes together over the years. Soon, they went from locking eyes with each other from across the room, to sitting next to each other and chatting during classes. During junior year, they decided to take the next step and started dating.

Joe and Shannon had just moved to Wilmington, Delaware to work summer internships in their respective professions. Joe told Shannon that wanted to take her for a sunrise hike in the Poconos before both of their jobs started. They checked into a local hotel the night before and woke up before dawn to make it to Hawk Falls. Once they arrived, it was clear they were the only people on the trail. They explored and enjoyed the early morning silence of the forest, walking in the creek and admiring the waterfall. Joe asked Shannon to take a photo, and unbeknownst to her, he began recording a video instead. They posed for a moment before Joe got down on one knee and asked Shannon to spend the rest of their lives together. After, they had couples massages and later drove to Philadelphia for an incredible and scenic dinner at Moshulu.