Welcome to Our Forever

Using the age-old ploy of "guy with a dog", Anthony reeled Jenelle in via a Bumble connection back in December 2016 that had much more to do with his corgi Stella than the witty Michael Scott one-liner in his profile. After chatting through the holidays, Jenelle agreed to a geographically convenient first date - near her job at Sloan Kettering - at the Penrose on 82nd & 2nd in NYC, despite feeling the post-holiday doldrums. They shared a few apps, had a few drinks, and Anthony proceeded to tell Jenelle about the time he ate a cake spiked with estrogen that resulted in him crying during "The Bucket List" the next day. From there, the rest - as they say - is history. For the next year and a half, Jenelle and Anthony could be seen lugging roller suitcases on the Q subway line & NJ PATH train to take-up part time residence in each other's apartments. They planned an impromptu trip to Boston when Anthony was still known as "Ed" by Jenelle's friends and family, played hooky from work to row boats in Central Park, decided running a 10 mile race was a "fun" idea, sported Halloween costumes from a used clothing store in the East Village called "Search & Destroy", and traveled to Chicago, Antigua, England, and Spain together. When Anthony's lease on his Upper East Side apartment ended, Jenelle convinced the born-and-raised Long Islander to move across the Hudson, "to the Jersey side". Trading in their roller suitcases for a U-Haul, they started their life together at 205 Bloomfield. They slowly but surely built their apartment into a "home" and their relationship into the next phase...

Jenelle had been hard at work planning Anthony's 30th birthday for months. She had managed to book a cooking class for their immediate family and - unbeknownst to Anthony - a surprise party afterwards with their friends and cousins. What Jenelle didn't know, however, was that Anthony had been doing some planning of his own. After asking & receiving Mr. Aquino's approval for her hand at a Yankees game in June, Anthony began planning the biggest moment of their lives. He wanted to ask her in a setting that had some meaning for them beyond just being picturesque. He thought back to all the "moments" they'd shared and none felt more appropriate than the first place they said "forever" to one another -- The Brooklyn Promenade. Anthony used his mother's love of Brooklyn as an unassailable excuse to get Jenelle there on the day of his party. Despite a few times where he thought his cover might be blown, they managed to make it to the promenade, ring in-tow. Anthony turned to Jenelle and reminded her that this was the first place they had ever said "forever" to one another. Gazing at her, he awaited Jenelle being able to put the pieces together. When she realized what was going on, he got down on one knee. She said "Yes."