It was November of 2020 and in the midst of a global pandemic. Cory and Nicole decided to begin looking for that someone special via dating platforms because well…COVID and they’re millennials! Neither of them could ever have imagined what would happen next. They swiped right on one another and this love story began.

With COVID going on and the holidays being right around the corner, Nicole and Cory decided to have their first date via FaceTime. Nicole had only briefly mentioned her dream of going to Amsterdam during their “getting to know you” conversations. That’s all it took for Cory to know exactly where to take his future bride on their unforgettable unique date! They each got a bottle of wine, FaceTimed, and began their virtual tour of the Rijksmuseum - a museum in Amsterdam that Nicole mentioned she wanted to go to.

I kissed Nicole goodbye and headed out the door to play in a golf tournament, at least that’s what she thought I was going to do! In reality, today was the culmination of months of planning the perfect proposal. I was actually headed to the Basignani vineyard that she was planning on going to with her best friend Jana that day. What she didn’t know, is that I would be there waiting, along with some of our close family and friends!When she arrived, it took some persuading but Jana was finally able to convince her to come down the hill to where I was patiently hiding. I came out from my hiding spot, got down on one knee, and asked her to make me the happiest man in the world and marry me. Of course since you’re reading this, you know she said YES!

My best friend Jana flew up from Florida, where she lives to have what I thought was a ‘girls weekend’! Jana and I haven’t seen each other in nearly a year at this point so I was excited to spend time with her. She has never been to a winery so we thought that would be the perfect activity for us ladies. So, we decided to dress fancy- Jana insisted on picking my outfit. Ironically it was a beautiful white lace dress. Of course, I didn’t think anything of it! I jokingly said to Jana as we were getting ready, “how funny would it be that I’m wearing a white dress if Cory showed up to surprise me?” Meanwhile, in Jana’s mind she is dying with the fact that I still hadn’t caught on! Cory needed Jana to stall me a little longer so Jana took her time with her make up and hair while I grew impatient and wanting to begin our day already! Finally, after some time waiting we called our Uber and off we went to spend the day at the Basignani winery. Upon arriving I had no clue of my surroundings— saw people enjoying the winery but didn’t look hard enough to even notice that those people were our friends and family from all over! I couldn’t help but notice a beautifully decorated area of the property. Jana was attempting to convince me to walk down for a photo-op but I very stubbornly rejected the gesture and was convinced it was meant for someone else. Eventually, Cory came out of hiding where then Jana gently shoved me toward his direction. At that point I blacked out and remember Cory being down on one knee asking for me to make him the happiest man alive! Of course, I said yes and had to clarify that he didn’t actually go golfing!