N &V

I met Nick at Pub Dog Bar the day after we matched on Hinge. Columbia was a good halfway point between Elkridge, Nick's home town, and my home in Burtonsville. It was love at first sight for Nick (ha!) and I showed up LATE (...of course). We decided to head to another bar called Hysteria. We definitely had a similar taste in music, humor, and hobbies. At one point, Nick went to the restroom and then, out of nowhere, my glass slid off the table and shattered on the ground. Nick returned to the scene and said jokingly, "I leave you alone for 2 seconds." All of my embarrassment instantly disappeared - it was the table's fault after all! I had just met Nick but felt so much comfort being around him. He messaged me every day since and we never looked back.

I knew proposing to Valeria in front of my Georgian host family would be the perfect, unforgettable moment. When I asked Valeria to travel to Georgia with me in 2023, she didn't hesitate. We finally made it to Georgia, and the family gave Valeria a warm welcome. They served house-made wine and they took turns as the Tamada (toast master). They gave toasts about family, marriage, and the future - all obvious hints that Valeria completely missed. On the night of the engagement, the family planned a beautiful outdoor dinner. The surprise almost unraveled when my host brother's ten year old daughter, Nita, nearly tipped Valeria off. As the family arrived with food, drinks, and supplies, Nita grabbed a bouquet of flowers, gave Valeria an awkward smile, then blurted to her mom, "These are for you from dad," before quickly running away. Valeria assumed it was her mother's birthday. Shortly after, my host sister's eager 14-year-old son pulled me aside with a made-up excuse to brainstorm proposal ideas, but my nerves had me set on a simpler, more heartfelt approach. During dinner, I tapped my glass, I turned, and held her hands. I asked her to marry me. I will never forget the look of shock and happiness on my fiance's face. We then put the ring on her right hand (oops) and the family laid a whole chicken and cake on the table. Nita's mother then handed Valeria the bouquet of flowers from earlier.