How We Met

Our story begins because two people swiped right. First Tim and then Aaron... and voila!... our story began. Welcome to the world of online dating. However, this was no ordinary match... our connection was special at the start and wouldn't take long to flourish. Now, years later, we join an extraordinary group of just fourteen percent of couples, who first connected online and then said their "I dos" to one another. We couldn’t be more grateful.

Our online connection moved quickly to texting and then to a memorable first date a couple of weeks later. With the hustle and bustle of the holidays that year coming to an end and the city further re-opening after the pandemic shutdowns, we planned our first date for the first Friday night of the new year. Through mere coincidence however, we each unknowingly made plans to join the same group of mutual friends, who gathered most Monday nights to watch movies! So, we actually first met by surprise at a movie theater four days prior to our scheduled first date, which led to a hilarious chain of events that involved flying popcorn and many giggles throughout Spielberg’s West Side Story. Needless to say, when our first official date finally came, we already had many things to talk about, so much so, that our first date lasted nine hours... including a stroll through sparkling holiday lights at the Franklin Park Conservatory, dinner at Strongwater Food & Spirits, and digestifs at Rehab Tavern and Antiques on High. From 5pm to 2am that night, the world stood still as our love story unfolded... including our first kiss "in Rehab!"

Early Dating

We would go on to see one another essentially every day since that first Friday of the new year. Our early months of dating were highlighted by nights together with friends, late night movies, seeing Elton John and Garth Brooks, and a spring ski trip to the winter wonderland of Colorado. It was there on a ski lift when Aaron would later say he first envisioned a life together with Tim, and it was during one of those late night movies where Tim would later say he first fell in love with Aaron.

Building Our Dream

As time went by, we grew closer and our love for one another grew even stronger. Knowing what we had and how lucky we were to find one another, we leaned in, built trust, showed grace, and loved without condition. Countless date nights and time with friends and family plus our love for travel highlighted our dating life. We adventured to places like Destin, Emerald Island, Philadelphia, the majestic Rocky Mountains, Arches National Park, the Great Smoky Mountains, Walt Disney World, and a magical Christmas together in New York City. It was during our Christmas in New York, when Aaron would finally realize his life-long dream of sitting at the iconic King Cole Bar in the historic St. Regis Hotel. After all, the iconic bar has hosted the likes of Marilyn Monroe, John Lennon, and Joe DiMaggio and claims to have created the Bloody Mary. It, too, has been the backdrop for famous movie scenes, such as when Anne Hathaway demanded the Harry Potter script from Simon Baker in The Devil Wears Prada and when Goldie Hawn famously mourned her situation in The First Wives Club, Aaron's favorite movie since childhood.

Our Engagement

On April 15, 2023, Tim surprised Aaron with a return trip to New York City. We arrived that morning to stroll through Central Park... holding hands, talking about the future, and taking in the fresh sights of Spring in full bloom on a warm sunny day. There on the west side of the park, we enjoyed a special lunch at Tavern on the Green and meandered our way through Manhattan until we rounded 5th Avenue and arrived back at the St. Regis Hotel. Having made special arrangements to have the King Cole Bar to ourselves, it was there, in front of the famous King Cole mural and surrounded by roses, orchids, champagne, and chocolates that Tim asked Aaron to marry him. Aaron’s reply was most definitely yes! Afterwards, we walked to Manhattan's West Side and to the Westside Theatre to enjoy live theatre... coming full circle from that fateful day when two people swiped right and then first met to enjoy a West Side story.