Best Friends. Soulmates.

Tyler was a senior, and Nicole a sophomore, when they first met at Valley Central High School over ten years ago. They became good friends and would frequently flirt with each other. By day, Nicole was a captain for the varsity cheerleading team while Tyler was a “mathlete” for the varsity calculus team. By night, Nicole was a classical dancer and Tyler was a touring pop drummer. Their contrasting lifestyles brought them closer as they quickly bonded over their collective differences. This set the foundation for what has made their relationship so strong overtime; they complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Devoted to their relationship, the two continued to talk when Tyler went away to Pace University in 2013. This ultimately led to him “officially” asking her out in Times Square the day before New Year’s Eve. Their families quickly built a friendship defined by love, support, laughter, and happiness. Separated by over an hour, the couple soon standardized late night drives, suspicious bus stations, and strange train rides to share their weekends with one another. Nicole went off to Sage College of Albany in 2015, separating them by almost three hours. The drives got later, the bus stations more suspicious, and the train rides stranger. However, their commitment for one another only grew stronger. Throughout their college years, they started sharing one-of-kind experiences rooted in their adventurous lifestyles. Nicole joined Tyler’s band on their travels across the country where they’d explore new cities, befriend new faces, and build new memories. What would sound ludicrous to many, was quickly becoming standard for them. This continued as Tyler pursued a master’s degree at Boston University, thus maintaining their three-hour separation for another couple of years. Between New York and Boston, weekend excursions never fell short as they were always up for a new adventure. In the spring of 2019, Nicole graduated with her BFA and Tyler graduated with his MS. Six years of distance had led to this; finally moving in together. They moved to Connecticut in the summer of 2019 where Tyler began his doctorate program in genetics & genomics at UConn and Nicole started her career as an interior designer at an architecture firm. Two kittens, Nova and Pisa, quickly joined the fray as the first expansion to their young family. This of course came with endless cat games, torn up furniture, and furry cuddles. In 2021, they brought home an Australian Shepherd puppy, Kaila, that has since become an incredible travel partner for Tyler and Nicole. From beaches to mountains, they have not held back on incorporating this pup into their adventurous lifestyle. On May 21, 2022, Tyler planned a scavenger hunt for Nicole with the help of family and friends. Scavenger hunts were a staple of their relationship as Tyler planned one every year on Valentine’s Day despite the hours of distance between them. This one culminated with her going back to “where it all began", a local lake where the two would always sneak to in high school. Tyler had his and Nicole’s families hiding nearby to view what was going to be a very special moment for their story--the proposal. As Nicole said "yes", their families revealed themselves to share in this moment of love and joy. Little did she know, they had all planned a surprise engagement party where friends and family of near and far awaited the couple for a night of celebration and memories. Through the years, Tyler and Nicole have supported each other through countless events, shared incredible experiences, and built wonderful memories. In December of 2023, they will be celebrating their 10 year anniversary. It just makes sense that they cap off their first decade together with arguably the most important memory to date; their wedding. On October 14th, 2023, they will be married with friends and family in attendance to celebrate this story. Cheers to soulmates, best friends, and soon--husband & wife!