We met the modern way: through our phones! Specifically via a dating app called HINGE which Drew's sister Regan set up for him. Whereas Maria's coworker urged her to give it a try. Drew had a handful of uneventful dates while Maria had just one. :) Our first date was at Novella - an upscale bar in FiDi situated between our offices. The rest was history! We bonded instantly---especially over our shared perspective on growing up in the Bay Area, a mutual appreciation of classic films and our travel in Japan. We became inseparable and fourteen months later, Drew moved in with Maria and her son Jonas.

The Friday of Memorial Day weekend was going to be the night Drew would ask for Maria's hand in marriage. But circumstances and fate would take over. Drew's Uncle, passed after several years of being in and out of the hospital. Needless to say the start of the holiday weekend was a somber one, but with Aunt Barby's approval, Drew decided he would pop the question that Sunday. To get Maria and Jonas out of the house, Drew suggested a lazy Sunday outing. Maria agreed and decided on a leisurely bike ride through Golden Gate Park. With Jonas' help, Drew was able to keep the operation covert. The time was right when they all reached the beautiful Dutch Windmill. Moments later Drew got on bended knee in front of an astonished Maria.

After our engagement, we immediately started checking out venues. 10 days after we started looking, we fell in love with two venues - The Center for the Arts at the Marin Headlands, and University Club in San Francisco. Both couldn't be more different than the other, yet 110% filled with character. It was hard to make a decision but at the end of the day, we landed on University Club. Built in 1908, this Italianate-style clubhouse housed the 19 year old University Club founded by William Thomas, a Harvard University alum. At the time, clubs were esoteric - accepting alums from one university. Thomas wanted to create an all encompassing club that would accept alums from all over, and formed University Club of San Francisco. This mission, coupled with vintage characteristics and expansive views of our city made it easy for us to pick this venue as the location for our special day.