Despite attending the same college at the same time, we did not meet until the wedding of our dear friends, Lindsay and Tyler, in the summer of 2014. We were paired together as bridesmaid and groomsman, and spent the day posing for formal photos, holding back tears while witnessing our friends say their vows, and shamelessly (i.e. awkwardly) flirting at the reception. In a classic romantic gesture, Matthew asked Melissa to dance. From there, we were both smitten. Before leaving, Melissa took Matthew's phone to give him her number. Despite living 3000 miles away, we went on one "date" in New York City a few months later. Our story was paused due to distance for five long years, but finally, in the fall of 2019, we found ourselves both living in Boston. The old sparks flooded back once we reconnected in the North End over cocktails.

Thanks to a once-in-one-hundred-years pandemic, Chatham became a special home away from home for us. On the way back from a business trip - still skeptical and believing that Covid would pass in 2 weeks - Matthew decided to accept Melissa's offer to wait out the pandemic in Chatham. During one of our many walks together, we stumbled upon a trail at the end of Water Street that led down to Little Mill Pond. It became our spot. In the summer of 2021, during the week that our parents were meeting for the first time, we went on a quiet walk together on a Wednesday morning. It was hot and sunny out, and yet for some reason, Matthew was wearing his jacket. This was baffling to Melissa. We turned the corner to head to our spot and walked down the path. Upon reaching the water, Melissa noted aloud, "It's so much prettier here at sunset." She turned around to find Matthew down on one knee in the sand.