New Smyrna Beach, FL

#ShadrianTakeTwo

Shannon and Adrian met at St. John's University in Queens shortly after beginning their freshmen year of college. They were introduced to each other by Adrian's cousin, and it turned out, they lived one floor apart in the same building. They immediately hit it off and became inseparable. In the first few weeks of school, they spent late nights talking about their lives before college, what they wanted out of the future, and at one point, they even agreed to marry each other one day (they weren't even dating yet!). Around Halloween, they both realized their relationship was more than just friends, which also apparently became obvious a few weeks later to anyone who witnessed them interact at Thanksgiving at the Luibrand house (or so Shannon's mom claims). During Christmas break, they desperately missed each other as Adrian went back to California and Shannon to upstate New York. They spoke every day on the phone, over text and over video chat. When they got back from break to begin their second semester of college, they both knew they were pushing off the inevitable for no good reason at all. On February 14, 2011, Adrian officially asked Shannon out with rose petals, a bottle of wine and a giant card reading, "Will you be my girlfriend? Check yes or check no." Shannon checked "yes."

Queens has always been home for Shannon and Adrian. It's where they went to college, where they grew together and as individuals, where they started their post-grad life and where they began to navigate adulthood...and of course, it made sense, that's where he would propose. Still, Shannon did not see it coming and was caught totally by surprise the day he asked. On March 16, 2019, after 8 years of dating, Adrian brought Shannon to Gantry State Park in Long Island City, Queens, near their apartment. Shannon was under the impression they were meeting her sister Morgan there that day (and she believed the elaborate lie her sister and Adrian told her about why they were meeting at the park). As they got to the park, Adrian told Shannon they were meeting Morgan in the area in front of the New York City skyline, and it was then, Shannon realized something was up. In the distance, she saw that area, but instead of Morgan there, she saw a photographer. Shannon started shaking, and going into shock, and when they reached the spot in front of the water, Adrian tried to talk to her, but she had already begun to cry (happy tears!). The photographer was snapping photos, and Shannon knew, this was really *the* moment (and that's why Adrian had wanted her to paint her nails that day and wear boots with heels — she did neither). Shannon's family appeared (puppy Evie included), holding signs that spelled out: "Will you marry me?" Then, Adrian got down on one knee, in front of the NYC skyline — the skyline that held all their hopes and dreams since they were 18. The skyline, that made them who they are. When through blubbering tears Shannon answered "yes," her family turned around the signs they were holding so they now read, "She said yes!" It was the second time Shannon would answer one of Adrian's big questions with a "yes" and she looks forward to giving that answer again on their wedding day.