It all started with a swipe—on Bumble, to be exact—where the woman makes the first move. That’s where Alicia swiped right on Mike. My first impression was that he seemed genuine and down to earth, someone I could easily get along with. Sure, his photos looked like they were from 2016, but I was intrigued nonetheless. Once we matched, the connection was instant. We spent a few weeks texting every day while traveling for work, and when we were finally back in town, we decided it was time to meet in person.

Our first date took place the Sunday after St. Patrick’s Day weekend in Buffalo. For anyone unfamiliar, that weekend—Friday through Sunday—is one of the biggest celebrations (and drinking weekends) in the city. Mike had spent his Friday with friends on their annual March Madness and St. Patrick’s Day bar crawl, hopping up and down Chippewa while catching college basketball games. On Saturday, Alicia hosted her own St. Patrick’s Day party, which, of course, turned into a full night of bar hopping. So naturally, by Sunday, we were both pretty hungover—but decided to meet up anyway. After all, what better way to recover than by meeting someone new over sushi? We went to Taisho, where Alicia learned about Mike’s shellfish allergy just before ordering. We shared plenty of sushi, had a few drinks, and from that day on, we’ve been inseparable.

One day, after chatting with friends, Mike suggested we go to Rizzo's House of Parm in Crystal Beach—just over the border in Fort Erie. The only reservation available was a few months out on a Saturday, but of course, I agreed. I’m always up for a dinner date! By then, we had recently adopted our puppy, Tux, and—being the slightly overprotective dog mom that I am—I didn’t want to leave him home alone. Thankfully, my sister offered to watch him while we were out. When Saturday finally arrived, my sister came over to watch Tux, and we headed out. Dinner was amazing—highly recommend, by the way. When we got home, the house was dark. As we pulled into the driveway, Mike said he’d forgotten his hat in the car, so I went inside ahead of him. The moment I walked in, I saw candles and flowers throughout the house leading to our patio. When I stepped outside, there was Mike, surrounded by even more candles and flowers. It was absolutely perfect. After he asked—and I said yes—my sisters and Tux came out from hiding. It was the most thoughtful surprise, and I’ll always be grateful to Mike and my family for making it so special.