About Us

Question

What's with the crab picture?

Answer

Well, during our normal and nice engagement photoshoot, our photographer asked us to walk sideways holding hands. We did a bit about crab walking and had a little laugh about it. Then we made our photographer come back to this garden at the end of our shoot to take a silly picture on some rocks. He was the one who came up with the idea to do serious faces. Thus, the best picture of us ever taken was realized, a testament to the power of teamwork and chasing what brings you joy.

Question

How did you two meet?

Answer

Brian Engelstein famously does not like New York City. In fact, in 2020, after a series of non-starter first dates around the 5 boroughs, he made a point of limiting the range on his dating app to get right to the edge of Manhattan. Luckily for him, on October 7th 2020, Ang happened to be in midtown and briefly found her way into the (admittedly wonkly) range that Brian had set to specifically rule out city girls like her. Brian messaged Ang asking questions about the profile she had crafted. Unlike so many other people, he refrained from claiming that he could beat her at Mario Kart, but did ask her to be on his bar trivia team. They messaged non-stop for a week. During that week, Brian told Ang he was only interested in being friends, because he didn't want to drive to NYC for dates. At that point, Ang knew there was no way they would be just friends, but was impressed by his honesty and directness. They decided to meet up anyway and get to know each other in person. Brian knew there was something special about her when he asked her if she'd like to go to his usual first date spot, and Ang called his bluff and changed the restaurant to food she liked better. Against her better judgement and towards the pull of a connection that felt like fate, Ang made plans to drive to New Jersey to meet a stranger from the internet. She downloaded Life360 so her sister, Maid of Honor Naiomy, could track her location, and took the first of many drives to Somerville, NJ. They walked, they ate delicious Thai food, they watched Cats (2019) and Princess Mononoke together, talking the entire time. They have not stopped talking to each other since.

Question

How did Brian propose?

Answer

At some point, "if we get married" turned into "when we're married." Ang and Brian talked often about how things might change (or stay the same) when it happened. After two years, when talking about their joint life path, it became clear that there wasn't any real reason to wait. Ang had but two requests: when you ask me, don't do a jumbotron, and make sure my nails are done. Brian planned to propose using the ring that his Grandpa Jack bought to propose to his Grandma Jackie (of blessed memory). After getting the ring, Brian made a series of appointments at a jeweler, which he would often talk to his parents about on speaker phone with Ang in the house. She knew it was coming, just not when or how. For once in her life, Ang let someone else be in charge of the details, and tried to enjoy the anticipation. Brian proposed before a dinner party with Ang's cousins on December 26, 2022. Ang got up early to bake bread and make mashed potatoes. For hours, Brian kept coming up to her and lightly suggesting she do her hair, change out of her apron, and put on her makeup. After a few refusals, Brian began to panic and texted his sister, Best Woman Sydney, for a quality pep talk about both being flexible and the art of deception. Brian lied to Ang and said Sydney would be coming early, to push her to get ready to be proposed to. Ang did not do this. Instead, she laughed that Sydney had already seen her without makeup. She kept on baking. After proofing two loaves of focaccia and braiding a loaf of challah, Brian finally dragged Ang by the hand to their home office. She walked in the room and said, with some additional colorful language, "This better be important." She turned around, and Brian was on one knee holding the most beautiful ring she'd ever seen. He said he loved her and asked her, face bare and nails tragically undone, to marry him. She babbled, and later confirmed that she had actually said yes. It was perfect.

Question

Why is your custom URL what it is?

Answer

Because it's comedic gold. Brian + Ang = Brang! We couldn't NOT make the Evanescence joke.

Question

Did you think of the URL right away?

Answer

Nope! Here's some of the honorable mentions. Brang It All Back - A strong contender, but we can't make everything in this wedding S Club themed. We had to draw the line somewhere. Brangin' on the Heartbreak - Great song, but bad juju for a wedding. Brangela - We almost went with this reference to 2005's most iconic power couple, except as of last year it is bad juju for our marriage. Brang It On: All or Nothing - Would have implied that we got Rihanna to come judge our krumping. We can't afford her, so instead we will be playing Pon de Replay at the reception. The Acevengelsteins - Adorable, but combines the most difficult to spell parts of both our names.