We met on Hinge in the summer of 2019, our mutual affection for 'The Princess Bride' opening the door to deeper conversation. But it was only after we exchanged phone numbers that we learned our paths could have crossed much sooner. We share a 914 area code, having both grown up in Westchester, New York—Max in Katonah, Layla in Larchmont. Our parents still live there, and taking the Amtrak from DC to New York has been a regular part of our relationship. It was clear from our first, four-hour date that there was something there. That feeling persisted even when Max made some questionable early courtship choices, including taking Layla to a Nats baseball game directly in the ninety-degree August sun, and bringing his friend Garrett along for Maryland crabs on the fourth date (he has a car…). By the following March we had traveled together to Denver (a work trip for Layla) and Houston (an invitation from Max’s sister-in-law Lauren to attend a real Texas rodeo), scored a goal on a coed soccer team together (Max with the assist, Layla with the finish), and cheered each other on as we ran a marathon (Max, running too many laps around Prospect Park in Brooklyn) and 10K (Layla, at George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate). And then the world shut down, our lives took on new routines, and our relationship deepened. In the early days of the pandemic Max moved into Layla's apartment to "pod" together; by June, he had given up his apartment. We met many of each other’s non-DC friends and extended family playing Zoom trivia or celebrating a Zoom seder. We bought candy for movie date nights in, became board game people, and learned that it was better to take turns cooking than both be in the kitchen at once. Most of all, we spent all day every day together in a one-bedroom apartment – and thrived. In December 2021, Max filled a wood chest with relationship mementos, projected a slideshow of photos on the TV, got down on one knee, and asked Layla to marry him. Now, after spending so much of our relationship at home and apart from loved ones, we can’t wait to travel with you to celebrate our wedding in France… a bientot et bon voyage!