Our story goes back to the hallways of high school where we crossed paths again and again. Junior year brought us closer when we happened to sit next to each other in class, but we really began interacting when a clerical error placed me in the same ACT test room as him ("L" is not very close in the alphabet to "V"). While we waited for our friends to finish up, ironically in the room I should have been in, we had the opportunity to get to know each other a little better, and a lovely friendship was born. For many months, we continued to spend time together, discovering similarities and many reasons to smile. Then on the last day of midterms, we celebrated our new status as second semester Seniors with a fun movie viewing at his house. Only it took me by surprise when he turned around at the end of the credits to ask me out. And it was one of the best decisions of my life to say "yes".

In a traditional sense, we have probably passed life's important milestones slightly out of order. After searching for our first home through the stressful year that was 2020, we finally found the perfect place in Elmwood Park, New Jersey. Although we purchased a two-family house together before I even bought an engagement ring, we've always been a practical pair. To us, it wasn't about tying the conventional knot to prove our intentions; we were confident in our love, so why not set ourselves up for success along the way? Within the next few months of living together, I joked so much with her and my sisters about proposing during our trip to Mexico that no one really took it seriously. Then during a beautiful night out in Los Cabos, our best friends Dan and Ronni helped us find the most picturesque spot for what she thought would be typical 'date night' photos. When the moment turned into a heartfelt proposal, I managed to coax her first ever tears of joy as she said "yes".