Marlene and Greg first met at SUNY Albany in the year 2005, where they both attended college. Marlene was a sophomore and Greg was a freshman. They met through a mutual friend who attended high school with Greg, and who Marlene befriended in her freshmen year of college. They each went their separate ways often seeing each other on campus unbeknownst of their fated love. 12 years passed, and after a few kissed frogs they met again. With the help of social media and this aforementioned mutual friend, the pair began cyber stalking each other until Marlene offered Greg her coveted phone number. Several weeks later, Marlene suggested a casual meeting for a drink with her new friend. The first meeting (was it a date?) took place in a quaint whiskey bar in NYC. The evening ensued with much laughter reminiscing of college and the lives they had been separately living. The night ended with a tender kiss and the rest is history.

Marlene who is a lover of all things halloween, spooky, and witchy, dreamt of spending a fall weekend in Salem for as long as she could remember. The excited couple stayed in a lovely in-law apartment 10 minutes outside of Salem, in Marblehead Massachusetts. The weekend ensued with your typical haunted happenings; witch museums, fall themed mimosas, a Harry Potter shop and Hocus Pocus. The ever clever and highly attentive Greg spotted a romantic beach cliff off of the beaten path. It had the works; a frothy sea foam shore, game of thrones esque water logged rocks, and salty smoky air. They were joined by Marlene's cousin Mark who conveniently happened to be available. He too had no idea ofcourse that he was to be a pawn in Greg's scheme. Greg took Marlene by the hand and directed her on to the cliff rocks. The wind was howling and whipping, and the salty air was spraying. He told her to look into the distance and with her attention averted he got down on one knee. Marlene turned around to her love, threw her hands over her eyes in shock and returned his gaze. Greg while chuckling and tearing, perhaps from the sentiment or the spiraling salty air, probably both, asked her to marry him. With love in her heart and feeling intoxicated by the eerily romantic ambiance she emphatically said "yes." They sealed the deal with a tender kiss and the rest is history.