Laura grew up in the small town of Mountainside, New Jersey with her parents Bob and Cathy, and her older sisters Meredith and Margot. Being the youngest of three girls, Laura always looked up to her older sisters. When Margot decided to enroll at Providence College after high school, it was no surprise that two years later Laura would follow her there. Ryan grew up in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, with his parents Scott and Regina, and his younger brother Patrick. Ryan’s passion for life often manifested through his love for sports. Being a lifelong P.C. basketball fan made it an easy decision for him to attend Providence for his college adventure.

Laura and Ryan met during their sophomore year at Providence College. Laura initially saw Ryan as the cute guy who sat in the front row of marketing class, and Ryan knew Laura as the girl in the jean jacket who wouldn’t acknowledge him during a fateful Aquinas Hall elevator ride. Eventually their paths crossed again at one of local watering holes that Providence is famous for and the rest is history.

Following brief returns home after graduation, Ryan and Laura each moved to Boston to write their next chapter together. Over the better part of a decade Laura and Ryan built a life together that was never short on excitement. From summer vacations to Block Island; backpacking through Europe on Ryan’s sabbatical; countless celebrations with friends and family around the country; to moving to Newport, the site of both their engagement and forthcoming nuptials. 12 years may seem like a long time to some (most), but with the life we've built –the friends, family and experiences shared– time has seemingly stood still and flown by simultaneously.

On a mild and unassuming September day the time had finally come. Laura, convinced it was her idea to hike Newport’s famous Cliff Walk, laced up her sneakers with no idea what Ryan had in store for the two of them. At the end of the mansion lined Cliff Walk was the couple’s favorite beach in Newport, Rejects Beach– a boldly named location for a marriage proposal. Shortly after the couple arrived at the beach Ryan dropped one knee into the sand and asked the love of his life to marry him, a proposal to which Laura emphatically agreed! Following the proposal Ryan had one more surprise up his sleeve. Ryan and Laura were off to catch a helicopter over to Block Island to celebrate being a newly engaged couple.