Matthew proposed to Valerie while on a family trip to Ireland in May 2023. On the last day of their trip, they visited Ross Castle in Killarney right before it closed for the day. Disappointed they couldn’t go in and explore, they stumbled upon a small boat that would take them across the lake. While crossing the lake, their guide shared stories of local history and explained that they were headed to Innisfallen Island, which had been a 7th century monastery that later became a 12th century abbey. Once they arrived, they had 30 minutes to tour the island and its historic ruins. While wandering around, Matthew found a hidden path. Amongst the bushes and overgrown foliage was a hidden structure. Knowing that there was only 5 minutes left to depart, Matthew got down on one knee and the rest is history! Valerie’s favorite part of this story is that she was taken completely by surprise! Unbeknownst to Matthew, it just so happened to be the same day as Valerie’s parent’s wedding anniversary!