Sarah and I first met the day after my 25th birthday at Lolita’s, a dimly lit Mexican restaurant in the heart of Back Bay. The conversation, like the margaritas, got off to a spicy start. We spent the evening getting to know each other and ended the night with a romantic kiss in the rain on the corner of Dartmouth and Boylston. I was smitten. A few days later we went out on our second date to Modern Pastry for trivia night. As I like to tell the story, Sarah showed up in sweatpants and a baggy Bruins shirt, so I was a little concerned about how interested she was in me. The night went well, though – I made her laugh, and we came in second place in trivia (even though Sarah had just done the same set of questions at a different bar a few nights prior🤦). I walked her to the train and as we parted ways, I remember just how happy I was. The next day, I told a good friend that this was the girl I was going to marry. Well, as it turns out, the sweatpants were indeed an ominous sign because I soon received a text message from Sarah saying, “Now is not a good time for me to keep seeing you,” or something to that effect. I was a bit puzzled, but mostly saddened by the prospect of losing someone I would soon fall so deeply in love with. A few months later, though, I got a text! She wanted to go out on another date. I was skeptical about her intentions given the circumstances, so I made her pick the date spot. Knowing what I know now about how Sarah will go to excruciating lengths to evaluate any decision involving food/drinks, it is comical that her choice was Corner Café in the North End. For those of you who are unfamiliar, Corner Café’s specialty draught is Miller High Life, and it is the only bar I have ever seen patrons at on my way to work in the morning. Despite the location, I graciously accepted the invitation and was ecstatic to see her radiantly sitting at a table next to the keno machine. The rest of the night was magical, and we capped it off with carrot and chocolate cake on the second bench in Paul Revere Park under the fading starlight. Three and a half years later, she said yes in front of that same bench in Paul Revere Park. Sarah is my best friend and the love of my life, and we are so thrilled to celebrate our love with all of you in October!

It is honestly hard to add much to Ben's version of our story, but I will try nonetheless. On February 23, 2018, I -- having hardly been late to anything in my life -- was late to my first date with Ben. It was pouring rain, my Uber cancelled, and I had to run umbrella-less through the rain to catch the green line from the Longwood T stop. I arrived wet, flustered, but put utterly at ease by Ben's company (as well as by the strong margaritas). The night ended with a a kiss outside of the same Copley T stop I had come running from earlier that night. Fast forward a few months, to us reconvening at Corner Cafe. I can't remember exactly when it was on that date, but somewhere between Ben buying me a Sam Adams Rebel IPA (Corner Cafe's version of craft brewing), the easy conversation we had at the Bacco bar, and the moment when I couldn't decide between the chocolate and carrot cake that prompted Ben's insightful question "why not both?", I found myself falling for Ben. We sat talking on the bench by the Paul Revere statue sharing our Modern Pastry cake and talking until well after midnight. The entire night had flown by, and I remember how excited I was to see him again. Even five years later, I still feel that same joy at the prospect of spending time with Ben. The years since 2018 have been full of adventures together. We have demolished dry wall together in Providence, experienced the ups and downs of medical school and the start of residency, pursued the perfect maple creemee on many trips to Vermont, withstood hundreds of games of Catan with each other (and friends, and sometimes strangers), and tried every version of deep dish in Chicago. Through it all, Ben has been my best friend and biggest fan, and I am so excited to celebrate our next and biggest adventure with you all on 10/14/23!