Like so many modern romances, ours began on a dating app—mid-pandemic, when outdoor bars and awkwardly spaced tables were still the norm. On our first date, I showed up sleep-deprived and in a suit after finishing a trial. James arrived in a tracksuit because, as he shrugged, “that’s Philly, baby.” While most people try to present a polished version of themselves on a first date, I tend to be unapologetically myself, which often guarantees an unconventional evening. As it turns out, James is very much the same—so our unusual date quickly became a memorable one. To break the ice, I joked to the bouncer that my ID was fake, to James’s visible horror and the bouncer’s lack of amusement. That little stunt set the tone. From there, we went joke for joke, cracking each other up all night. The highlight came when I returned from the restroom to find James, our food and drinks, and my wallet nowhere in sight. I eventually discovered him hiding elsewhere in the bar, grinning as he asked, “Did you think I left?” Shockingly undeterred, I agreed to continue the date. We wandered to another spot and eventually made our way to Rittenhouse Square, weaving through the park until we found an open patch of grass to lie down and look at the stars. We talked for hours—about everything and nothing—serenaded by a mix of jazz floating in from a nearby restaurant and the city’s colorful nighttime soundtrack. What might sound like a disaster to others felt perfect to us. Despite our mismatched suits, we turned out to be a perfect fit. Within two months I was meeting his family, and by month five we had moved in together. From the outside, it may have seemed fast. But love has a way of making the improbable feel inevitable. When you know, you know. Since then, our days have been filled with laughter and love—shared with our friends and family and built into the rhythms of our life together. Over the last five years, we’ve navigated plenty of “adulting” milestones: we celebrated our 30th birthdays, bought a home, and became proud parents to our fur children—Gracie, Milo, and Cash “Money.” And now we’ve reached one of life’s greatest milestones: marriage. We couldn’t be more excited for our wedding and can’t wait to celebrate with the friends and family who have, knowingly or not, been part of our love story from the very beginning!