Ilinca and Alex met during their PhDs in New York. Things weren’t exactly love at first sight - one of their first memories together was Alex yelling at Ilinca during animal training because she was afraid to pick up a mouse. “Tough love” is an understatement… They built a great friendship during Ilinca’s first year in the lab, until they had their first date at a conference in Toronto, hundreds of feet in the air at the Needle! Things quickly became complicated because their boss received a great offer in Boston and Ilinca needed to move to finish her PhD. Alex, done with his PhD, decided to follow Ilinca anyway for a short post-doc and to further explore their budding relationship. While adjusting to life in a new city, they managed to sneak away on weekend hikes, travel to Iceland, and Alex trained for a half marathon while Ilinca got her 200-hour Yoga instructor certificate. In the summer, Ilinca took Alex to her hometown of Novaci, Romania to meet her family. There, her grandmother served traditional Romanian food and țuică, a homemade spirit. Neighbors from every corner of town brought their best dishes and drinks, all eager to impress Alex. It quickly became a friendly competition to see who made the best țuică according to “the American.” Of course, Ilinca’s grandmother won. Later, Alex took Ilinca to Mexico to meet his grandparents and extended family, where they visited the beautiful town of Valle de Bravo and hiked the pyramids of Teotihuacan. Their travels continued with a trip to Hungary and Romania with Alex’s parents. Ilinca grew suspicious when Alex bought a backpack lock, but chalked it up to an “American safety quirk”. As they arrived in Romania, her suspicions grew with her family’s over-the-top preparations, which they passed off as just hosting Alex and his family. The next day, on Ilinca’s name day (Saint Ilie), they attended a festival nearby before heading to a monastery (Mănăstirea Polovragi) nestled at the base of the mountains. As they walked through the monastery grounds, Ilinca turned to find Alex on one knee, with both families watching in tears (even Grandma!). Overwhelmed and overjoyed, Ilinca said “Yes!” and the celebrations continued for two weeks in Romania. Back in NYC, Alex re-adjusted to med school while Ilinca settled into a new job. But after months of remote work, Ilinca was feeling the loneliness of their small apartment. One evening, she presented Alex with a few cavapoo puppy options. A 3-month-old puppy that hadn’t found a home yet caught her eye. For two days, it was all Ilinca could talk about, and finally, Alex caved. A few weeks later, they drove upstate to bring Bruno home, completing their little family of three. As Alex and Ilinca look ahead, they’re excited for all the adventures yet to come—whether it’s exploring a new city, trying out the latest restaurant, or discovering the next hiking trail. With their love for travel, outdoor adventures, and a touch of chaos, they’re ready to keep creating memories and embracing whatever comes next. We look forward to having you join the next big adventure - our wedding! Each one of you has played such an important role in our lives, and we cannot wait to celebrate with you!