Rachel and I both attended the University of Maryland, but fate didn’t see fit to cross our paths back then. Fast forward to 2021, when I stumbled upon her profile on Hinge, the dating app. From the moment I saw her, I knew she was something special. I was so sure, in fact, that I immediately took screenshots of her profile and sent them to our 35 mutual friends for a full background check. The consensus? Rachel was everything they described: smart, kind, funny, thoughtful—and way out of my league. Determined to meet her, I sent her a message, asking if she’d let me take her out for a drink. She kindly declined, saying she was flattered but not interested. Undeterred, I tried again a week later when she posted a story from a Maryland football game. My witty “Go Terps” message didn’t get much traction. Eighteen months later, though, came my chance. Rachel posted a photo from a Nationals game, and I pounced with, “Go Nats.” This time, she replied! When she pointed out the team’s terrible record, I told her I knew—but that didn’t matter as much as the fact that she’d responded. I seized the moment and renewed my offer to meet for a drink. Perhaps it was the National's abysmal performance or my persistence, but Rachel finally said yes, and what was meant to be “just a drink” turned into the start of something truly incredible.

When we left for our 12-day adventure across Italy I had no idea Neville was planning to propose. He threw me off completely before we even boarded the flight by casually mentioning he hadn’t asked my sister for ring advice yet—a surefire way to keep me guessing. Since I had meticulously planned every minute of our trip down to the half-hour, I didn’t think a proposal was even possible. On our third day, we arrived in Florence, which was sure to be a highlight of our trip. With an hour to spare before dinner, Neville suggested grabbing a drink. Naturally, I had already scouted the perfect secluded rooftop bar. Nev kept rushing us through our drinks so we could catch the sunset at a famous overlook. I chalked it up to him being thoughtful, knowing how much I adore sunsets. We decided to walk to the overlook, a 20-minute uphill trek in 85-degree heat. By the time we reached the top, I was so focused on catching my breath that I didn’t notice anything unusual. Then Nev got down on one knee. My immediate reaction? “Are you okay?”—I thought something was wrong because he looked so emotional! The next moments were a beautiful blur: a heartfelt proposal, a sweet photographer capturing it all, a romantic dinner overlooking Florence, and a lot of wine. After the proposal, Nev surprised me by organizing a small family gathering to celebrate when we got home, which was almost thwarted by some flight delays. We sprinted through the airport and made it home in time to celebrate! We can’t wait to continue our journey together and begin this next chapter with all of you at Stone Tower Winery. One of the reasons we’re celebrating at Stone Tower Winery is because of how special Florence—and Tuscany—have become to us. We hope you all feel the same joy and love that we felt during that remarkable trip as we begin this new adventure.