In September 2020, the presence of COVID-19 still hung heavy in the air. One night while bored in the house, Karly found herself compelled to download the Hinge app, not entirely sure why she felt drawn to it. Shortly after creating her profile, she received a match notification. The name seemed oddly familiar. It didn't take long for her to connect the dots. Wasn't he the one who bartended at Partner’s Pub and grill, where she often gathered with her friends on Thursday nights for $5 long islands and karaoke? Indeed, he was. She realized she had seen him several times, amidst the lively atmosphere of the bar. Karly and Matt quickly hit it off. Their conversation on Hinge continued for weeks. Daily video calls became the norm as they delved deeper into each other's lives, sharing stories, finding common interests, and joking with one another. Matt asked Karly to go on a date, first to dinner at Mikey’s, then mini golfing. To Karly's surprise, a beautiful bouquet of flowers arrived at her college house on the day of their date, courtesy of Matt. When the long-awaited date night arrived, Matt pulled in style in his '99 Honda Civic. Together, they set off on their first adventure together, the connection between them so strong that it felt as if they had known each other for ages.

In October of 2022, Matt informed Karly that they would be going axe-throwing with their parents. They were going to meet at the Honken's house prior, as the reservation was not until 6:30 pm. After arriving, Matt took Karly's hand and led her back into the Honken family apple orchard (one of Karly's favorite places). Matt then removed a ring box from a bushel of apples, got down on one knee, and proposed. A photographer, posed to look like a customer picking apples, captured the moment beautifully. (Shout out to Chelsea May Photography!) Both Karly and Matt celebrated the engagement with champagne and the presence of both sets of parents and Karly's grandma, Janet. They never went axe throwing that night...

We're so excited to celebrate this next chapter in our lives with you. See you in September!