07.17.26

She waited, as she didn’t want to get too excited, and they decided that even though Vin was not related to the Hemsworths, they would give this a shot. They moved to the next stage in the natural progression of any relationship: Snapchat. They exchanged usernames and sent “candid” pictures of their daily lives, not staged at all, and hid in the bottom of the chat box to feign the idea that they weren’t eagerly awaiting the other’s reply.  In one snap sent, Vin wore his Farmingdale UFSD lanyard, catching Kate’s eye. It was familiar—she had been wearing the same one for the past year! Vin had been about three miles away working at the elementary school while Kate worked at the middle school; don’t tell HR! And this is where Eileen comes in, an integral part of the story. Eileen worked in the AP’s office as the secretary with all the files; she also happens to be Kate’s mom. Hearing the news, she went into action, “What’s his last name? I'm going to look him up in the system!” Kate replied, “Instagram says it's Vin Titan.” Vin’s last name is not Titan, so after briefly thinking she was catfished, Kate asked him for his real name. Thank goodness it was Porcaro, and the search results on Eileen’s screen were pleasing—he had a clean record! They had a good laugh, and Kate knew that by telling him this story, and not scaring him off, they were still off to a good start. That solidified her “yes” when he asked for a first date. A genuine classic: dinner and a movie. Vin picked Kate up, rang the doorbell like a gentleman, and even opened the car door! He promised Kate that he had seen A Quiet Place (though that wasn’t true). They went to see A Quiet Place 2. At the end of the movie, Vin took his date to the best place he knew: Swell Taco. And now, it’s the best place they know. After a month of dates at Jones Beach, Wantagh Park, Swell Taco, La Villetta, the aquarium, and more, they made it official. Since then, they’ve been together for four years. Around year two, things started to get challenging. Vin ended up in the hospital for two weeks, and every night, Kate slept beside his bed. Though this time truly sucked, it became a blessing in disguise. “If we can get through this, we can stand the test of time,” each thought. And it was true. In good times, they celebrated and lifted each other up. In hard ones, they were present, never shying away from the responsibility of caring for the other. Compromise was a given and never had to be asked for. If Kate wanted Krisch’s Ice Cream for dessert and Vin was trying to hold back… Kate would smile as Vin handed her the DoorDashed, temperature-controlled bag. After four years, on July 1st, Vin started to write, and he didn’t stop until the 17th. Each day he wrote to Kate, though she had no clue, reflecting on the small moments that had led to this one. On July 17th, he gathered his notes and purchased a bouquet of hydrangeas—Kate’s favorite—and delivered them to her porch. He rang the bell, just like on the night of their first date, but this time he didn’t stick around. Kate opened the door to the display. She picked up the 17 notes and brought the flowers in. As instructed, she opened each envelope, which told her what to do next. Vin left cash for her nails, sent her best friend Melissa over, and arranged an outfit bought for this very day. Then Kate was taken to Old Westbury Gardens. She found her way to the Walled Garden, where Vin paced, anxiously waiting. The final letter said, “Do Not Open,” so she brought it to him, where he broke the seal and began to read. A culmination of their love story was shared aloud, each moment detailed with thought and care, ending in, “Kate, will you marry me?” And Kate knew, from this gesture alone, that they were still off to a good start—so she said “Yes!” All that to say: Kate and Vin are only at their beginning. There are no proper words to fully express how excited they are to continue their story—now with the titles of husband and wife!