We first met at a Happy Hour FC game, Branden's notorious recreational soccer team that featured several of Jackie's friends/colleagues. After the game, everyone went for drinks and we started talking for the first time.

For the next year, we saw each other at game nights, friends' birthdays, and other various social events. While Branden was immediately interested in Jackie, Jackie found Branden to be more of an acquired taste, but over time he was able to win her over. While we didn't know it at the time, we spent the last night before lock down at a karaoke bar with our friends. At the end of the night, Branden asked Jackie out for dinner that weekend. Those plans would soon be cancelled when the city shutdown for the foreseeable future.

After six months away from the city living with our moms, we both returned in October and finally had our first date. We went for pizza at South Street Seaport, where we sat outside even though it was a little bit chilly. Over the next few months, we would meet for dinner or after work drinks outside under heat lamps or in igloos as we tried to start a relationship while the world was still opening back up.

With their little family expanding to include a puppy, Helly, and a cat, Tuna, Branden decided it was time to ask Jackie to marry him, before he ended up with even more mouths to feed (which would happen anyway). After lunch in Brooklyn Heights, we walked down to the Brooklyn Promenade where Branden got down on one knee and proposed. After she said yes, the surprises continued as we celebrated over dinner with our families and then at a bar with some of our friends. Now we can't wait to celebrate with all of you at our wedding!