We first crossed paths in 2018 at a friend’s birthday party at Union Pool in Brooklyn. Our encounter was brief—Patrick had been roped into taking a group photo of Michelle and her friends, and that was about it. But thanks to our mutual friend Nathaniel, we found plenty more opportunities to spend time together and became close friends. As our friendship grew, it became clear to everyone in our circle that there was a special connection between us, even though we tried to deny it. In late 2020 after feeling fed up with New York in the Covid-era, Patrick decided to move back out west. One of his final nights in the city brought everyone back to Union Pool, where we had first met. What started as a farewell drink turned into a night of bar-hopping around Williamsburg. By the end of the night, Patrick finally had the guts to tell Michelle how he felt. With only two days until Patrick’s departure, Michelle felt torn. We spent one last day together, both trying to keep things light.. but the next morning, Michelle woke up in a panic. At 8am, she called her friends for advice, but no one picked up. She decided to follow her instincts. Throwing on a cute white dress, she headed out to find Patrick. As she walked to his place, doubts crept in, but she pushed forward. Turning onto his block, she saw his VW with the trunk open as he carried down another load of boxes. Before she could play it cool and lean casually against his car, Patrick spotted her from the doorway and, smiling ear to ear, greeted her with a casual, “Hey.” In that moment, Michelle knew she’d made the right call. She spent the next couple hours helping him load up his car, white dress and all. We stayed in touch daily, making our commitment to each other clear. We would continue to find ways to see each other. Our goal, to never go longer than 3 weeks without physically being in the same space. On one of those trips Michelle was visiting Patrick in Oregon for the holidays.. we decided that we were ready to take the next step in our relationship. Patrick made his intentions true and promised to move back to New York so we could be together again. Four years later, we’re thrilled to celebrate this next chapter of our journey with you!