Neither of us were expecting to find love on the first date in February 2019. Dominique was fresh off a long-term relationship and was just beginning the online dating thing. Matt had been online dating for a while and was lowering his expectations. Then Matt noticed Dominique’s profile and sent her some questions about hiking; not sensing a creepy vibe, Dominique began a conversation with him. We met up at a speakeasy a week later and hit it off. And again the week after that. Unfortunately, Dominique’s younger brother passed away and we took time away. But Matt couldn’t forget about Dominique, and Dominique knew the connection seemed so effortless and strong. When we met up again in late Spring, we began casually dating again. “Take it slow” we both told ourselves. Of course, we couldn’t help falling in love! And we lived happily ever…not yet! In March 2020, COVID-19 struck the world and kept Matt quarantined in Hell’s Kitchen and Dominique in Harlem. Always looking for solutions to challenges, we got used to walking a lot. A month into lockdown, Matt and Dominique would walk 1.5 miles to meet in the middle point—Central Park—and have a couple hours together to talk, laugh, hug, and walk Lulu the poodle. During this time, we learned to share adventures over the phone, and how to communicate a range of emotions: hope, fear, joy, boredom. All this made the bond between us stronger. 1 Corinthians 13:7-8: Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. Matt and Dominique both know it takes a special partner to enjoy life in all its seasons, with or without COVID. And we couldn’t be happier making that commitment together. We hope to celebrate with you on March 20, 2022!