In June 2023, a new masters graduate teacher, and a hard working sanitation worker went to an R&B party called En My Bag with their friends to enjoy a night out!

Amanda was having the time of her life, and Gregory, taking pictures at the event, captured her free-spirited and infectious energy with his camera. Later on in the week, Gregory matched the photos of the girl in the pictures having a great time to her Instagram page, where he sent her a DM and asked to tag her.

A few days later, Amanda was teaching her Science class. She had been messaging back and forth with Gregory, and put her phone in her back pocket. While she was teaching, she heard a mans voice saying Hello? She reached into her pocket and realized she accidentally video called Gregory (twice), got embarrassed, and immediately hung up. She then apologized and told Gregory that her students were asking who that was on the phone. Gregory told Amanda to say, It was the cute photographer from the party on Friday night. Amanda replied, “Well, thats not completely a lie! :)”

After messaging back and forth for a few weeks, they planned to attend another En My Bag R&B singalong at the Bronx Brewery in July. They went separately with friends, but said hello to one another briefly when they arrived.

Throughout the night, Gregory was photographing everyone at the party and was standing on the stage. Amanda saw him, grabbed her phone and sent him a message that read “Let me know when I can get you a drink.” She watched him reach for his phone and read the message. He looked up, locked eyes with her in the crowd and signaled for her to meet him by the bar.

They got their drinks and sat at the back of the brewery at a picnic table for 2 hours talking about everything! They even found out that they only lived blocks away from one another for the past 5 years. Amanda texted her best friend and said, “I am going to marry this guy.”

From there, they got to know each other more over Starbucks visits, Barnes & Noble dates, batting cages, and of course food!