In a tale as old as... 2010? We matched on Tinder in March of 2021. Newly vaccinated, we were ready to get out and start dating again. Hannah sent the first message, "Prairie is the best brewery in the city, so well done to you sir!" It was off to the races from there, with our first official date being two weeks later. Zach finally asked Hannah to be his girlfriend after a month of seeing each other and talking every time they got a chance. Under the dim lights of The Flea, with Hannah in a Prince t-shirt, "Purple Rain" playing in the background - the journey officially began.

October 2022, after a year and a half of dating, Hannah had taken Zach out for his 31st birthday. Toward the end of the night, she made a comment about "when he was gonna freakin' propose." Zach replied in stunned confusion - he'd been waiting for HER to be ready! So the confirmation was there, and the waiting began. Hannah texted the same besties from before, "these are the kinds of rings I like... just in case." Elation ensued. Around Thanksgiving, Hannah started to suspect the time might be coming during an upcoming trip they would be taking to Boston and NYC. Of course, everyone knew, and (mostly) played it cool - ask either of us about this point if you want a laugh. Early December, we jetted off to Boston to see one of Hannah's best college friends marry the love of his life (S/O Joe and Meg!), and after the wedding, we took the train to NYC to stay with one of Zach's best friends (S/O Marlie and Daniel!). Two days into the NYC leg of the trip, Zach is very anxious to get from place to place - much to Hannah's oblivion. What she didn't realize was that Zach and Marlie had strategically planned an entire evening, beginning sharply at 5pm. Thinking this was more of a suggestion for when we could meet Marlie for dinner after she was off work, Hannah needed to stop into a souvenir shop in Chinatown, "because the sweatshirt will be cheaper here than in Times Square." But alas, we made it, just as the Saks Fifth Avenue lightshow, directly across from the Rockefeller Christmas Tree, began. What Zach didn't anticipate was that the light show was a medley of Elton John - Hannah's mom's favorite artist. Hannah gleefully tries to FaceTime her mom, unaware that Zach is trying to get her in the perfect spot for a proposal. The time finally came - the show was finished, and there would be a 10 minute break before it began again. Zach forgot his whole speech, but managed to make it onto a knee and get out, "Hannah Beth Homburg, will you marry me?" It was an immediate "of course!!" followed by a stranger asking us to please move so they could get their pictures. Ah, New York. After the proposal, Marlie took us to SUMMIT One Vanderbilt for an incredible view of the city and a celebratory cocktail, then revealed she'd managed to secure us a table for 2 at the hard-to-get-into L'Artusi for an amazing Italian dinner. We spent the rest of the trip riding the high of our new engagement, and have loved every moment of the sweet, short chapter of our lives as fiancés.