Like many modern love stories, ours began online. We matched on OkCupid on March 6th, 2021, and what started as a simple match quickly turned into something more. Instead of small talk, we dove straight into long messages, paragraphs, voice notes, and conversations that seemed to last around the clock. Brittany was studying for her LMSW exam at the time, and with the world still emerging from the pandemic, we had to wait nearly a month before meeting in person. In that time, we realized something surprising: we were already starting to fall for each other. On April 3rd, 2021, we finally met for our first date at Emily’s Pizza (which Brittany took as a good sign, since it’s also the name of one of her best friends). Shane still remembers walking up to meet Brittany, bouncing with nerves and excitement. Brittany remembers how natural it all felt immediately. Because it was early spring, we had dinner outside in the cool air, talking and laughing over pizza before wandering to the park nearby. Sitting on a bench, Shane put his arm around Brittany, she leaned in, and we shared our first kiss, sparks included. As the sun started to set, we continued our adventure with ice cream at Big Gay Ice Cream and a long walk through the city. The night quickly turned into a series of memorable moments: spotting a celebrity passing through the park, being stopped by a drag queen on a hoverboard who sprinkled glitter on our hands and tried to sell us art postcards, and Brittany stopping to comfort a stranger who was crying on a stoop, something Shane still remembers as the moment he saw how kind she is. We attempted to find a bar, but that plan was quickly abandoned when a rat ran across Shane’s foot while he was heading to the bathroom. Instead, we kept walking uptown, holding hands and debating an unexpectedly philosophical question for several blocks: Who would you rather be, Sisyphus or Atlas? Eventually, the cold drove us into a cozy wine and chocolate bar, where we talked late into the night. Neither of us wanted the evening to end, but close to midnight Shane had to catch the train back to Long Island. When Brittany got home, her mom asked how the date went. Her answer was simple: “Different. This one felt different.” As it turns out, it really was. Shane likes to say he knew he was in love when Brittany showed up on their second date with a Levain cookie after he casually mentioned loving them. Just six weeks into dating, and one week after asking Brittany to be his girlfriend, he told her he loved her. Brittany realized she loved Shane a few months later, when he drove three hours upstate after work to surprise her on a family vacation so he could be with her before her birthday ended at midnight. After 4 years together, on July 8, 2025, Shane proposed in Florence, Italy, at the Bardini Gardens. With the help of Brittany’s lifelong friend Mathilde and her fiancé Leo (who stealthily followed along to photograph the moment), Shane led Brittany up a hill in the summer heat to the perfect spot in front of the Bardini Villa, with the Duomo visible in the distance. After four years together, Brittany finally went on a hike, something she always swore she would never do, but it was absolutely worth it. Over the years, we’ve discovered that the best part of our relationship is the way we understand and support one another. Shane loves Brittany’s kindness, patience, and intelligence, while Brittany loves Shane’s thoughtfulness, his ability to listen, and the endless inside jokes that somehow only make sense to the two of us. We feel so lucky to have found each other, and even luckier to celebrate this next chapter surrounded by the people who mean the most to us.