Our journey together began at Nativity Preparatory School in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Our first conversation, however, did not take place in the classroom, office spaces, or lunch room as you might expect. Rather, we first spoke while waiting in line to get our noses swabbed for COVID — how romantic! I had just returned from working an admissions role at New Hampton School in New Hampshire, and Kate had just graduated from Stonehill College. Little did I know, this conversation would mark the beginning of something incredible. From that first conversation, I knew that Kate was someone I wanted to spend more time with. Her energy was magnetic, her humor was contagious, and her smile was stunning. I was hilariously surprised to learn that Kate had spent years training as a competitive Irish step-dancer and had tens of thousands of TikTok followers. Kate radiated joy unlike anyone I have ever met. A few months later, the trials and tribulations of being educators during COVID brought us closer and closer. In January, as I was coming off of a ten-day quarantine after testing positive for COVID, I finally asked Kate on a date. While my sense of taste and smell had yet to return, I had finally come to my senses about her. We met for brunch at Federal Taphouse in Providence, and we subsequently spent hours talking, laughing, and enjoying each other’s company. It felt so natural — there wasn’t a single awkward pause, and it felt like we’d known each other forever. After brunch, we decided to get a little creative and spent the afternoon buying blank canvases and acrylic paints, just having fun and seeing where our artistic side took us. As we spent more time together, I knew I loved Kate but I hadn’t said it yet. Naturally, it wasn’t until we went on an axe throwing date that I finally told her how I felt. Something about seeing Kate sling massive axes with admirable accuracy checked off the last box on my “Is she relationship-ready?” checklist. I finally let the words slip—"I love you." Our proposal was equally as magical. I wanted to create a day that felt as special as our relationship has been —fun, adventurous, and deeply meaningful. We retraced some of our favorite date spots, leading us back to Nativity Prep, taking off in a helicopter ride over Newport, rushing through an oyster lunch, and ultimately ending up at Dowses Beach, a spot that holds a special place in both of our hearts. After a day full of joy, crying, laughing, and adventure, and surrounded by the beauty of the Cape, I asked her to marry me, knowing that this was just the beginning of a lifetime of adventures to come. Now, as we prepare to celebrate our love, we’re beyond excited to share this next chapter with our favorite people. We couldn’t have picked a better place than Cape Cod to start our life together, and we can’t wait to make more memories with you in the most beautiful place we know and love. - Nathan