It was a perfect summer day down at the Jersey Shore. The sun shining, waves rolling, and a little bit of fate in the air. We each made the drive down the Parkway to Exit 0, heading to Cape May to visit friends and family, which is quite fitting for both of us. Though little did we know, we were really headed straight towards each other. In the late afternoon of Saturday, July 23rd 2022, our worlds finally collided right there on the sand. Matt strolled up, set his beach chair next to Allison’s, and from that moment on, he’s been making her smile every single day. That beach will always be more than just a stretch of sand to us - it’s where our story began, and a moment we’ll remember forever. Thank you to the Warner, Schick, and Giametta families for the invites to the beach that day.

We could just tell you that Matt proposed on a bridge in Venice, Italy and that alone would be simply the best. But of course, there’s more… To set the stage. Once we planned our Fall trip to Italy that Spring, Matt decided Venice would be the place. The year before, Allison had told Matt she preferred that the engagement ring not to be part of the proposal, this way the engagement could be a surprise. Then, that Spring, Mom and Dad Schneider surprised us with Pearl’s diamond (from Dad’s mom, who passed away young). That same diamond was later used for Mom’s engagement ring and later turned into a necklace. So yes, this stone carries generations of love. Keep up, because this diamond had quite the adventure. It spent the summer tucked away in Allison’s closet until the day of our trip, when Matt somehow snuck it out of the closet into his carry-on (mission accomplished). He hid it in our Airbnb in Rome, then carried it around in his front pocket all through Venice, waiting to find the perfect spot. Now, September in Venice is busy. The bridges? Always packed. Definitely not the romantic, quiet proposal Matt had envisioned. But on our second night in Venice, walking to dinner, we crossed a wooden bridge that felt just right. So the next evening, September 17th, after dinner, we wandered back through the tiny Venetian streets toward our hotel. It had been one of those great days of exploring and now a perfect evening. We stopped on that same bridge, cheek to cheek, taking in the moment on the bridge, all alone. Allison said, “Can we please remember this moment forever?” And Matt said, “Do you really want to remember this moment forever?” … and then, got down on one knee. And that’s when Matt finally revealed that he’d been carrying the family diamond all through Italy so it could be part of this unforgettable moment. Sometimes life doesn’t end up as planned, sometimes it ends better - simply the best. (Scroll back up to the top to find the menu tab, in the right hand corner, for additional information about the wedding.)