It was the ball pit that changed everything. It was October 2015, and Halloween was fast approaching. One of Dan's best friends, Nick, and one of Sarah's best friends, Sumita, happened to work at a company in Cambridge, MA that threw a huge Halloween party each year. This party world pull out all the stops: a big bar, live band, food, a photo booth (that year it was Star Wars themed, by the way), and this particular year, A BALL PIT! Sarah and Sumita had been dying to hang out in the ball pit all night but it was always crowded with the same people...Dan and his friends! Eventually, Sarah and Sumita made their way in and, being the outgoing people they were, started chatting with Dan's friends! Moments later, to Sarah's surprise, she was being pelted with ball pit balls! Dan, while "trying" to hit a friend, sorely missed his target and was hitting Sarah....repeatedly. Dan's friend nudged Sarah to talk to the ball-throwing culprit, and the rest is history. They chatted the rest of the night and went on their first date a week later.

After wavering on the date over and over for months, Dan finally settled on February 9th. Rain or shine, he had fully committed. That was going to be the day he was going to ask Sarah to marry him. A plan was set in motion: Dan convinced some of Sarah's cousins to help him with the plan. In order to throw Sarah off, her cousins were to be part of a fake plan to meet Sarah and Dan for a drink at a local brewery and then go to a movie. Little did they know, this was just a ruse within a ruse...call it proposal inception. Dan offered to leave the apartment a bit early on the way to the brewery. He remembered that Sarah loved walking down Charles Street in the summer, so he convinced her to head that way and grab a cup of coffee at her favorite coffee shop. As they were walking, Sarah asked to sit at a spot in the Public Gardens they used to visit when they started dating - they both call it "their spot." As it turned out, getting to "the spot" was Dan's plan all along! On the way there, Dan may have outwardly appeared nervous (by gulping down his coffee in one swig), but inwardly, he was at ease. As they sat at their special spot, they reminisced about when they started dating and how they've grown as individuals and together. As the conversation led him there, Dan asked the easiest question he's ever asked anyone. With luck on his side, it was one of the easiest questions Sarah ever had to answer. As she said yes, snowflakes started falling peacefully over the city of Boston. The final part of the plan was a true surprise for Sarah. After she was (literally) screaming to the entire Public Gardens that she was engaged, they made their way to a specially planned dinner in Davis Square. As they walked in to the restaurant, they were greeted by their parents (read: cue many, many tears and ugly crying), who were eagerly waiting to toast and share in their happiness and love.

Sarah and Dan exchanged vows on November 1, 2020 - exactly five years after their first date - in front of their immediate family. The ceremony was steeped in traditions old and new...call it a Jew-ish wedding! - Dan built the four posts of the chuppah with trees from his childhood backyard. With the help of his father, Dan was able to adorn the top of the chuppah with his late grandmother's tablecloth (the same grandmother whose engagement ring lives on Sarah's finger!). - Sarah and Dan's grandmothers were the wonderful women who bore witness to the ketubah signing - the ketubah now hangs in Sarah and Dan's dining room, so their family is looking over them each and every day. - Sarah walked down the aisle, but not before stopping halfway to give her father a kiss on the cheek as he played the cello during the processional. - Sarah and Dan exchanged vows and rings - Sarah's grandparents' wedding bands. The families celebrated all night together - dining, dancing and toasting to the happy couple!

Dan and Sarah invite all their friends to ring in their one-year anniversary on November 20th, 2021, in Somerville, MA! So start planning out your finest outfits and get ready to dance the night away. Drinks, food and music will be awaiting - the last piece of the puzzle is celebrating with all of you!