Sophie and Ryan met in the middle of quarantine! Sophie left the city to her family's house out in Long Island, and Ryan stayed hunkered down in the city. Sophie kept her Hinge location to her apartment in NYC and saw Ryan's profile and sent him a like. Ryan accepted the match on Hinge and wrote to her immediately commenting on the photo she chose of him and his family's puppy. They messaged and texted, and then Sophie asked Ryan to have a Facetime date. They got dressed up while quarantined in their homes, made themselves a drink, and talked on the phone for over an hour. After about 2-3 Facetime dates Ryan drove out to Long Island to meet Sophie, and they spent the day on the beach. Since that day on the beach they knew and the rest is history! Since the beginning of their relationship, a lot of their first few dates had to take place outside since it was still COVID times. Sophie and Ryan had visited the NY and Brooklyn Botanical Gardens a few times, so Ryan knew he wanted to propose there. It's a beautiful place and was meaningful to both of them. Once he bought the ring, Ryan spent months planning the proposal. He needed to find a photographer to capture the moment, get the proper permits, and make a dinner reservation to follow. Sophie and Ryan were in the middle of renovating their apartment, which while very exciting was also very stressful. They agreed they needed a day off to have a little staycation and touch grass, literally and figuratively. They made a plan to visit the Brooklyn Botanical Garden on Friday May 12th, 2023, and Ryan was planning to propose. Ryan is a very thoughtful planner and likes to make plans in advance. About 3 days before the visit to the garden, Sophie asked Ryan if they had a dinner reservation yet for that evening. Ryan answered yes he'd made one at the River Cafe, where they went for their one year anniversary. "The River Cafe?" Sophie asked, "where you need to wear a jacket, and I need to wear a dress?" "Yes" Ryan replied. "So are we going to the gardens in a jacket and a dress?" "Yes" Ryan replied. And that was the moment Sophie knew he was proposing, which was perfect because it gave her just enough time to get a new dress and book a hair appointment for the day before. They walked into the gardens, and Ryan started sharing some of his favorite memories they shared and his vision for their future together, and when they reached the Bluebell Wood he got on one knee and proposed!