Like most good love stories, ours began on Tinder. Nathan had moved to Davis Square (a neighborhood in Somerville, MA) just six days earlier, and Ashlyn, who'd lived in Boston for 6 years, signed up for the app just a day or two before she and Nathan "swiped right." Timing was everything for this dating app-averse duo. At Ashlyn's recommendation, the first date took place at Saloon, a subterranean, speakeasy-style cocktail bar in Nathan's new neighborhood. The two spent several hours, and a few rounds of bourbon, learning about each other's families, career aspirations and political leanings. The evening ended with Ashlyn and Nathan each trying to play it cool while off-handedly suggesting a second date to the other. Tinder was right: It was a match.

Our wedding hashtag, #soinloveshack, was inspired by the nickname for our apartment, The Loveshack. (We even have a brass plaque on our front door that bears this moniker.)

Here's a little secret: It wasn't EXACTLY a surprise. On March 25, a Sunday, Nathan said that he'd planned a day for us, though he was coy about details. This already tipped me off, as I was typically the one to suggest our weekend activities. He tried to hide the GPS navigation to our mystery destination –– the trouble was, I was driving. So I guessed almost immediately that we were going to Rockport, MA: a picturesque beach town, which had been the site of our first weekend getaway and first exchange of "I love you"s. Rockport has a slew of cute shops and restaurants, but on this wintery March day, we were among the few people braving the cold. After we walked around and did a little shopping in town, Nathan stopped in front of the Shalin Liu Performance Center, a concert hall whose main feature is the wall of glass that overlooks the ocean and provides a backdrop to the performance stage. A man, who introduced himself as the artistic director, emerged from the theater, which was closed that day (lo and behold, Nathan had rented out the space) and asked if we'd like a tour. He led us into the concert hall, where the frothy waves crashed just behind the panoramic glass –– the view was breathtaking. The man said he'd give us a history of the space after he finished a task out front, and he invited us to get onto the stage while we waited. Jelly-legged, I followed Nathan onto the stage. We were alone. It felt like this could be "The Moment," but Nathan was milling about the stage, taking pictures on his phone. "How presumptuous of me," I thought. It seemed we were really just waiting for our tour. I pulled out my phone to take pictures, too. (Nathan would later tell me that he'd been working up the courage to propose.) After a few moments, Nathan took my hands and delivered a heartfelt speech that could have made for a beautiful finale of The Bachelor. He presented the ring and popped the question. Shaking and beaming, I said YES –– and all at once, we were fiancés.

Imagine trying to plan one of the biggest moments in your life, the biggest surprise you'll ever do for the woman you love, while knowing you're awful at keeping secrets and she has a detective's perceptiveness. The story began when Ashlyn was told she'd be sent to San Francisco for business. My family lives in CA, so this would be a perfect opportunity to reveal our engagement in person. However, I was still in the planning phase of the proposal, researching helicopter tours and googling "private boats Boston." Now, there was a deadline. I picked Rockport as the setting. A particular theater in the nautical village, where the stage frames a two-story window with a sweeping view of the bay, would be the perfect backdrop for an intimate moment. Dramatic and unforgettable: check and check. I coordinated with the events manager to make sure Ashlyn and I would have the concert hall to ourselves. That Sunday, I pitched the idea of a day-trip to find local souvenirs for my family. Ashlyn, of course, figured out where we were going and was immediately suspicious of the outing's true intent. We wandered around town, browsing and buying, with Ashlyn guessing we'd round a corner and I'd get on one knee. We approached the theater, and I paused to look at upcoming shows, cuing my accomplice to invite us in for a tour. Once inside, he suggested we check out the concert hall. Then we found ourselves alone on the stage in front of crashing waves below. I planned to take pictures at the window to make Ashlyn think this WAS simply a tour. Once she followed suit, I'd kneel behind her, surprising her as she turned around. The execution was less smooth: I went to the window, fumbling with my phone, but Ashlyn did start taking photos. Instead of kneeling, I stood frozen, grinning in joyful nervousness. Ashlyn was also grinning and trembling when I asked her to marry me after giving a speech. She, of course, said yes. When the accomplice returned, Ashlyn said, "You missed a big moment!"

We are so excited to share our special day with family and friends. We’ve created this website as a convenient and interactive way to share all of the important details with you in the months leading up to our wedding. So take a look around and don’t forget to RSVP! We can't wait to see you on Friday, November 8th!