Joanie and Neil met in 2022, the weekend before Halloween, bouncing between three bars near their apartments in D.C. and bonding over a shared obsession with pups, hot sauce, Lego, and all things nerdy. Despite being apart for much of that winter, and Joanie's aversion to texting, they knew this relationship was the one and worth prioritizing. Flash forward to the following winter - Neil shoveled all the snow off their rooftop to propose at sunset, with their dog River as an eager spectator.