we're getting married!

On the Tuesday after Memorial Day Weekend, Erica met Lauren at her apartment in downtown Philadelphia. Within minutes, it felt like we'd known each other for years. After polishing off a bottle of Etionne Dupont cider on the roof, we decided to hit the town. Before we knew it, it was 4 am... safe to say: the date went well, and the rest is history. We haven't been apart since. :)

12.5.2020 (Erica's Proposal) After almost five years together (including one pandemic year, which we all know equates to at least five normal years), it was time to take things up a notch. I researched and consulted with friends and family until I found the perfect ring for Lauren, and I went for it. I wasn't sure what the proposal would look like or where the day would take us, but I knew it had to involve lots of love, good food and wine (IYKYK); I made us the soonest lunch reservation I could get at the Four Horsemen (our favorite) and told my family I would be proposing on Saturday, December 12th, 2020. When the day arrived, the weather was less than stellar. My plans to propose in the park were derailed, so I had to improvise. After some convincing (it was more of a movie day than a walking day), Lauren and I set off on a (slightly wet) stroll through Williamsburg. Lauren knew we had lunch plans, so we headed in that direction and decided we would stop into Stranger Wines, an eclectic wine shop around the corner from the restaurant. We browsed the stacks and dreamed a bit about the wine shop we would open one day, until our hunger got the best of us. As we exited the wine shop, the sun began to peek out from behind the clouds. I rambled for a few minutes trying to buy some time and get Lauren in the right state of mind and position (my brother and our best friend had been tracking us and were concealed, in position, and ready to document). Finally, my rambling started to take direction and, from my coat pocket, I pulled out Lauren's early Christmas present... the ring! She was in total shock. As Lulu and Alex approached with their cameras, it all started to sink in. The tears and laughter flowed. The rest of the day was a beautiful blur of love, toasts, and excitement. We eventually made our way over to the Four Horsemen, where our table awaited us along with treats sent from family and friends. Sunday's hangover was very real.

6.12.2021 (Lauren's Proposal) Now it was my turn to sneak in some surprises. After months of planning and coordination, the breezy summer day arrived. It began with a visit to the Museum of the City of New York on the Upper East Side (if you haven't been - go!). An 80's music exhibition transported us through a time capsule to the decade we were both born in: Yo! MTV Raps, music videos, memorabilia, crazy fun. As we danced through the exhibits to the tunes of Sonic Youth, Madonna, Dr. Dre, etc. I had to keep anxiously checking my jean pocket to make sure that the ring was still in there! Upon departing the museum, I took Erica on the scenic route through Central Park, toward the west side. As we approached the Pool, Erica noticed and commented on a beautiful picnic set up with fancy pillows, wine, snacks, and even a little carousel umbrella, to up the ambiance. As she walked past the scene, oblivious, I took a double-take to greet Bart, who was standing by the picnic setup with his mic and guitar, waiting for us. (I had met Bart, a solo musician, several weeks prior when he entered my subway car and filled it with beautiful R&B tunes. I knew he had to be a part of this day.) When Erica noticed I had stopped, she turned around and started putting the pieces together. Bart jumped in with "Sure Thing" by Miguel. I got down on one knee and pulled the ring from my pocket. Spoiler: she said yes. The park crowd erupted in applause and we collapsed onto our beautiful picnic spread to soak it all in while Bart serenaded us. We were all smiles, and Erica seemed truly surprised. Little did she know, it wasn’t over. Our family and friends from around the country had flown in to celebrate the rest of the day with us and were waiting at our neighborhood bar in Brooklyn, where I would guide Erica (discreetly) in just a couple of hours. Needless to say, the day was magic.