Our first conversation was about music—most specifically, Linkin Park, which we discovered was our mutual favorite band. The year before we met, Linkin Park released an album called One More Light. The title track had a profound impact on us both, even more so after the lead singer, Chester Bennington, passed away a few months after the album release. During our first chat, we connected over the effect it had on our lives, as well as the new solo music it spurred from one of the band’s other founding members, Mike Shinoda. We learned that we’d actually been to many of the same Mike Shinoda events in the months before we met but somehow never crossed paths. Steve was apparently determined to change that. I mentioned that I was going to a show where Mike Shinoda would be performing along with other artists, but I was sitting way up in the nosebleed section. Steve quickly purchased last-minute tickets, making sure that his seats were much closer to the stage in an attempt to call me down to sit with him for Mike’s segment. His little scheme worked, and we’ve been sharing our love for music ever since. (EDIT as of May 2023: I recently found a selfie I'd taken of myself and my sister at Mike Shinoda's concert in June of 2018--SIX MONTHS BEFORE Steve and I actually met. When I saw the photo, I couldn't believe my eyes--RIGHT behind my sister, you can clearly make out the top of Steve's head and eyes! We always knew we were both at that show but could never quite figure out how close we came to a glimpse of our future.)

Another band performing at that first concert was Muse. I’d already gone back up to my original seat, but when they sang Starlight it made me think of Steve. It’s since become one of “our” songs. We’ve noticed that stars have always been a somewhat common thread through our relationship. Our first coffee date was at Starbucks. Steve introduced me to wrestling Superstars while I shared my love of galactic adventures in space shows like Star Trek. We spent one of the most memorable nights of our lives was spent stargazing atop Cadillac Mountain in Maine. And when our elopement day in Ireland comes to a close, we can’t wait to stand atop a cliff and look out at the night sky. Seems like we’ll be chasing a starlight together until the end of our lives.

Most theater nerds (like me) would recognize this lyric from a tune in The Book of Mormon on Broadway. The day Steve proposed, we went to see that show together for the first time. Steve said the fact that he was able to actually laugh and enjoy while nervous about the proposal was a testament to how good the show is! After Broadway, Steve surprised me with a trip to the High Line. In a perfect spot overlooking the city, he got down on his knee and asked me to marry him. He even invited both our moms to come be part of the moment—they jumped out from hiding as soon as I said yes! After taking photos and exploring the High Line/Little Island, Steve whisked me off for a romantic dinner at the River Cafe. In a garden under the Brooklyn Bridge, surrounded by twinkling lights, we toasted our future.