Both of us have always enjoyed nature and prefer to be outdoors whenever we can. While Alexandria is a beautiful city with plenty of things to do, it can feel congested at times. We like to escape the city when we can and do some hiking. We took our first trip to Shenandoah National Park in October of 2022 and loved the park. It became an oasis for us to escape life's everyday stressors and spend quality time together. Patrick surprised Olivia on August 1st, 2023 when he called her and told her to pack a bag for an overnight trip to Shenandoah for a short hiking trip. We stayed at the Black Bear Lodge just outside of the park with a beautiful view of the mountains from the elevated back deck of the cabin. This is where Patrick proposed, with the backdrop of the sunset and mountains!