The beginning of our forever!

Makenzie & Patrick met at the infamous Albany college bar, Pearl Street Pub, which since has closed its doors. They were in their senior year of college attending neighboring schools, Siena College and UAlbany. It was Halloween weekend; one was dressed up as a construction worker and the other was dressed as one of the three blind mice. The two danced the night away, then exchanged numbers at the end of the night. Patrick was persistent on taking Makenzie out on a date, but Makenzie’s nerves got the best of her at first. Finally, after a little coercion from her mom and her college roommates, she took him up on a date at Druther’s Brewing Company in Albany. Patrick ordered a burger and French fries and cleaned his plate dry with confidence. Makenzie, nervous as ever, ordered something small off the appetizer menu, but could not finish her meal as her stomach was doing backflips. Towards the end of the date, Patrick asked “Are you going to finish that?” A phrase Makenzie has come to know quite well, and one that she does not want to go the rest of her life without hearing!

After checking into their vacation rental in Pawleys Island, South Carolina after a long morning of travel, they walked down to the beach with Patrick’s brother, Jack, and his girlfriend. The two slowly veered off, and Patrick grabbed Makenzie’s hands and expressed his love. He got down on one knee and asked her to marry him. She shed tears of joy, gave him a big old bear hug, then FINALLY said yes! Patrick then pointed up at the balconies of the vacation rental they were staying in where their parents and siblings were cheering them on from afar.