Having spent our twenties and early thirties in graduate school, working towards our careers, and just generally staying busy, we were both encouraged to venture out into the world of Match.com.  Skeptical at first, we connected on Match, although neither of us remembers how that first connection happened. After we chatted about our shared love of the beautiful autumns we experienced while at our respective schools in Virginia, we had our first date in December of 2016.  We both live near White Rock Lake, and met at our neighborhood Bodega Wine Bar for drinks, then to Ginger Thai for dinner – an evening Bart re-created the weekend he proposed. We quickly realized we both love family, are sentimental and nostalgic, appreciate our lifelong friendships immensely, and share the same core values.

One thing led to another, and on March 31, 2018, Bart proposed.  Lauren thought they were headed to a birthday dinner for Bart, his brother Nick, and his father, George.  Bart took a “new shortcut” to his mom’s house, and pulled over at Flippen Park. After coaxing Lauren out of the car, we walked up to a gazebo where Bart proposed.  Afterwards, we went to Nick and Beth’s home where our families were waiting to have an engagement fiesta with us (complete with a wedding-themed pinata)!

We have been overjoyed to celebrate every step in this process with our family and friends.  We are so incredibly grateful for the love shown to us and your prayers for us as we look forward to enjoying a fun weekend kicking off our marriage!