Some people meet at a bar, some through friends and some people black out on a Monday with their brother-in-law & sister & the rest becomes history. Abel & I were introduced through my brother in law Justin who started working for Barattini Productions after they did Justin and Elyse's wedding in May of 2022. Before we even met in person, I had a feeling about him. From the moment I saw his pictures I knew Abel was kind, funny, & someone I genuinely wanted to get to know. As Abel likes to tell the story, I started stalking him months before I met him. I first recognized him at the Hospitality Ball. I didn't approach him that night. Little did I realize what was to come. Prior to our first date, we FaceTimed each other & spent over four hours talking. It turned out we had more in common than we thought. We talked about music, family, & what a future would look like for both of us. I did everything I could to convince Abel that he could love country music as much as I did. He in fact does not & still to this day doesn't allow me to play it in the car. I am determined to get him to love it at some point. Our first date was on October 13, 2022 at Coastal Kitchen in Bay Shore. As Abel likes to paint the picture, I walked into the bar in sweat pants, (this is not true) gave him an awkward hug (you know, one of those side hugs) and sat down. In typical Abel fashion, he said we had to take a shot together. We of course did and continue to get to know each other. Not long into the date, Abel told me he had a surprise for me. I truly had no idea what he could possibly have for me but to my surprise in that exact moment I received a text from him. I opened it up and it was a link to a country mix that he made just for me. It turns out he listened to every word I said on the phone that night and included almost every country song I rattled off to him. I couldn't believe someone would put that much time and effort into creating something for me before we had even officially met. The night ended with us sitting in my car listening to the playlist together, and honestly, I never looked back. From there, Abel completely wooed me - from surprise grocery runs, to meeting family and friends, to countless espresso martinis (which he has since become somewhat of an espresso martinis connoisseur). The fact of the matter is..."Everyone loves Abel." Since then, life together has been full of adventures, laughter, and a lot of love. We've traveled to Jamaica, Mexico (there are parts of that trip we mutually agree to forget), Massachusetts, Maine, Florida, the Dominican Republic, Philadelphia, and beyond. We've become puzzle pros, restaurant explorers, Yankees fans together, and somehow Abel even convinced me to become and Eagles fan. Go Birds! We balance each other (for the most part). I'm the Type A planner and foodie: Abel is the laid-back nerd with endless energy. He spends his nights Djing weddings and his days working in security, while I spend mine teaching, working out, and cooking. We moved in together almost two years ago. Thor's approval was very important to Abel. I passed that test with flying colors. While learning to share a home has definitely been an adjustment at times, it was one of the best decisions we made before getting engaged. On September 23, 2025, Abel proposed in Montauk on what turned out to be the most perfect day. In true "me" fashion, I may or may not have been yelling at him earlier that day about what he was wearing on the way to the lighthouse - completely unaware that he was about to ask me to spend forever with him. The day was cloudy at first, but as we sat calling our favorite people to share the news, the sun came out. We spent the rest of the day celebrating with drinks, a dip in the pool, & soaking in every second of it together. We can't wait to celebrate the next chapter of our story with all of you on March 18, 2027.