Eric and Michele first met in April 2020, during the early stages of the pandemic. Michele was living in Queens with her parents while Eric was stuck in midtown Manhattan with one of the grossest roommates in all of New York City. Don’t worry he’s not invited! They were initially introduced via text through a mutual friend, Stacey, someone they both shared amazing summer shore memories with. They had actually crossed paths at her wedding and her 30th birthday party but never met! Since Eric and Michele met in the beginning of covid, they couldn’t meet in person. They would talk every night on the phone for hours and hours about anything and everything. They bonded over food, music, Espolon tequila, summer pastimes and their families’ mutual love for the same sports team (Mets, Jets, Knicks), which in their words means, “same religion.” They got to know each other on a deeper level by asking poll questions on tough relationship topics, which they mostly almost always agreed upon. They had zoom dates too. Michele took Eric on a video date to London while Eric took Michele to THE Ohio State University featuring the world famous costume designer, the incomparable, Justin Medwed. They’d have virtual dates where they’d play drinking games and share music from their playlists. They’d discuss TV shows they were binging together like Love Is Blind, The Last Dance and SNL. They especially bonded over Love Is Blind because they felt their relationship was similar. Although, they connected virtually, they had not met in person. Finally after months of build up, Eric and Michele went on their first in person date in late August 2020. Eric surprised Michele by picking her up in a stretch limo with him in it! This was not to show that Eric was a baller or anything, he just wanted to pick Michele up in something they could be “socially distant” in. However— they were not socially distant for long! The limo then took them to Altro Paradiso where they both had the best Cacio e Pepe in Manhattan, followed by some Espolon in Central Park. They then ended the night at Bloomingdales……bus stop, where they kissed before Michele caught her bus home back to Queens. Everything was seamless after the first date and they continued to talk every day. Shortly after they met each other’s families. Eric knew Michele was his person after the weekend at his brother and sister in laws’ engagement party. She fit in beautifully with his family and couldn’t imagine having anyone else as his wife. And Eric’s family could not agree more. Michele knew Eric was her person after she read his astrological birth chart! All Libra baby! Eric paired nicely with Michele’s family through taking comedy classes with Michele’s father, sharing the love of the Jets with her brother, and THE Ohio state university with her mother’s family. Eric and Michele moved in together in November 2021 and since then, their daily life includes multiple laughs, deep discussions about Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, and most importantly food. It’s Eric’s love language and Michele speaks it fluently back to him. They constantly send each other Instagram posts of restaurants and recipes for the air fryer (see registry) on a daily and almost hourly basis. They’ve had multiple food tours throughout Manhattan, the Jersey Shore, New Orleans, New Haven, Chicago, Columbus and the incredible Skyline chili of Cincinnati. Besides eating, they’ve attended multiple big events including sitting right behind the goalie of a Rangers playoff game, sitting with the players’ families at the Ohio State football game, watching Steph Curry at the Garden break the 3 point record, a Syracuse basketball game, a painful Mets playoff loss that Uncle Steve Cohen has already made up for, front row Hamilton tickets, Michael Jackson The Musical and other Broadway shows, and a live taping of the Jon Stewart show.

Eric and Michele became engaged on October 29, 2022 during a beautiful Fall sunset at the world renowned romantic restaurant, the River Cafe. It was the perfect way for Eric to continue to celebrate a victory over Penn State and for Michele to cap off a great brunch with friends earlier in the day. They are so excited for you to celebrate this moment and big day with them. You are all so important and they can’t wait to party with you, so you better be ready to dance!