To this day, it is still a mystery of who was interested first. But I guess that's what you get when you have friends trying to set you up, making up little white lies of who asked about who, or brought up the other, inviting you to a common location and not telling the other who's going to be there. So when Veronica and Tom found themselves around a crowded table at Applebee's on July 5, 2019, the sprinkles of past conversations filled their minds as they laughed and grew curious of eachother. (Or maybe it was the new TJMaxx outfit, that Veronica later found out Tom had bought and put together for the outing that really caught her eye.) But as you do after thinking someone is funny and cute, you tell your friend "ummm, I think I really like Tom!" Within 24 hours they were together again on a double date with their friends at Diner by the Sea in Long Beach drinking milkshakes and fries, and the night ended with their first kiss in the tried and true D'Ambrosio Family Prius. They exchanged numbers, Veronica insisting "you better use it" and by the time she got home, had a text that said "I told you I would." That summer was was filled with trying to date when we could. Various vacations, events, and Tom prepping for college made it hard to solidify anything serious and when he went off to college, they were just friends. However, it only took about 1 week for Tom to realize "shit, I want more." He called Veronica up and asked if she would wait for him to return home the following weekend to properly ask her to be his girlfriend, and on September 12, 2015, he did just that over a milkshake at Massapequa Diner. Their first year dating was long distance, with multiple Megabus trips to and from Albany to visit or surprise each other for a weekend. And when Veronica decided the St. Rose would be the college for her, the next 3 years turned into ten-minute drives up and down Western Ave, moving apartments, sleepovers, weekend trips, rides home together and even a short stint post-graduation for Tom, and at the start of Covid, where they would test-run living together (+ Veronica's 2 roomates). At the end of 2020, they embarked on their first big relationship step of getting an apartment together in Jersey City. What they thought would be a 2 year stay, turned into 4 years, and adopting their beloved "NALA-CITA"! As the end of their final lease neared, Tom proposed to Veronica on the boardwalk in Jersey City overlooking lower Manhattan on July 5, 2024; 9 years to the date of their first meeting at Applebee's. If you ask either of them what Tom said, they wouldn't know, but what they do remember is the various times Veronica "thanked" Tom, and Tom needing confirm a yes due to the lack of one through tears and "thank you's". After jetting off to Italy to celebrate, and spending the fall celebrating some more, they made the tough decision; buy a home or have a wedding. By November 2024 they were moved into their new home, settled and celebrated, and then began wedding planning (a.k.a. writing the story you are reading now). We are so excited that all of you here will be with us soon to write the next part of our story together on our wedding day! Cheers to the newest D'Ambrosios - est. September 12, 2026!