La Bella Vista

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Reception

Fall

Our Wedding

Miguel&nbsp;and&nbsp;I&nbsp;met&nbsp;officially&nbsp;at&nbsp;our&nbsp;mutual&nbsp;friend&nbsp;Steve’s&nbsp;wedding.&nbsp;I&nbsp;had&nbsp;just&nbsp;taken&nbsp;my&nbsp;4&nbsp;hour&nbsp;professional&nbsp;licensing&nbsp;exam&nbsp;early&nbsp;that&nbsp;morning&nbsp;(after&nbsp;doing&nbsp;nothing&nbsp;but&nbsp;studying&nbsp;for&nbsp;3&nbsp;straight&nbsp;weeks)&nbsp;and&nbsp;was&nbsp;exhausted&nbsp;by&nbsp;the&nbsp;time&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;wedding.&nbsp;Miguel&nbsp;approached&nbsp;me&nbsp;and&nbsp;offered&nbsp;to&nbsp;be&nbsp;my&nbsp;partner&nbsp;in&nbsp;a&nbsp;yard&nbsp;game&nbsp;at&nbsp;the&nbsp;reception,&nbsp;but&nbsp;I&nbsp;passed&nbsp;and&nbsp;just&nbsp;decided&nbsp;to&nbsp;sit&nbsp;down&nbsp;at&nbsp;my&nbsp;table.&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;so&nbsp;exhausted&nbsp;that&nbsp;I&nbsp;decided&nbsp;to&nbsp;leave&nbsp;after&nbsp;the&nbsp;couple’s&nbsp;first&nbsp;dance&nbsp;so&nbsp;I&nbsp;could&nbsp;drive&nbsp;home&nbsp;safely.&nbsp;While&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;saying&nbsp;goodbye&nbsp;to&nbsp;friends&nbsp;Miguel&nbsp;asked&nbsp;if&nbsp;I&nbsp;wanted&nbsp;to&nbsp;dance.&nbsp;I&nbsp;told&nbsp;him&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;on&nbsp;my&nbsp;way&nbsp;out&nbsp;but&nbsp;that&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;sure&nbsp;I&nbsp;would&nbsp;see&nbsp;him&nbsp;again.&nbsp;It&nbsp;took&nbsp;me&nbsp;the&nbsp;first&nbsp;hour&nbsp;of&nbsp;my&nbsp;drive&nbsp;home&nbsp;to&nbsp;realize&nbsp;that&nbsp;he&nbsp;was&nbsp;actually&nbsp;flirting&nbsp;with&nbsp;me.&nbsp;I&nbsp;had&nbsp;been&nbsp;so&nbsp;drained&nbsp;from&nbsp;studying&nbsp;I&nbsp;didn’t&nbsp;pick&nbsp;up&nbsp;on&nbsp;it.&nbsp;He&nbsp;was&nbsp;so&nbsp;well&nbsp;put&nbsp;together,&nbsp;polite,&nbsp;and&nbsp;attractive&nbsp;that&nbsp;I&nbsp;couldn’t&nbsp;believe&nbsp;that&nbsp;I&nbsp;had&nbsp;missed&nbsp;out&nbsp;on&nbsp;a&nbsp;great&nbsp;opportunity.&nbsp;I&nbsp;reached&nbsp;out&nbsp;to&nbsp;some&nbsp;friends&nbsp;to&nbsp;try&nbsp;to&nbsp;find&nbsp;out&nbsp;who&nbsp;he&nbsp;was&nbsp;and&nbsp;was&nbsp;able&nbsp;to&nbsp;find&nbsp;him&nbsp;on&nbsp;Instagram&nbsp;to&nbsp;finally&nbsp;connect.&nbsp;Once&nbsp;we&nbsp;really&nbsp;started&nbsp;to&nbsp;get&nbsp;to&nbsp;know&nbsp;one&nbsp;another&nbsp;it&nbsp;became&nbsp;clear&nbsp;that&nbsp;we&nbsp;were&nbsp;each&nbsp;exactly&nbsp;what&nbsp;the&nbsp;other&nbsp;needed. Miguel&nbsp;y&nbsp;yo&nbsp;nos&nbsp;conocimos&nbsp;oficialmente&nbsp;en&nbsp;la&nbsp;boda&nbsp;de&nbsp;nuestro&nbsp;amigo&nbsp;en&nbsp;común,&nbsp;Steve.&nbsp;Yo&nbsp;acababa&nbsp;de&nbsp;tomar&nbsp;mi&nbsp;examen&nbsp;de&nbsp;licencia&nbsp;profesional&nbsp;de&nbsp;4&nbsp;horas&nbsp;temprano&nbsp;esa&nbsp;mañana&nbsp;(después&nbsp;de&nbsp;no&nbsp;hacer&nbsp;nada&nbsp;más&nbsp;que&nbsp;estudiar&nbsp;durante&nbsp;3&nbsp;semanas&nbsp;seguidas)&nbsp;y&nbsp;estaba&nbsp;exhausta&nbsp;ala&nbsp;hora&nbsp;de&nbsp;la&nbsp;boda.&nbsp;Miguel&nbsp;se&nbsp;me&nbsp;acercó&nbsp;y&nbsp;se&nbsp;ofreció&nbsp;a&nbsp;ser&nbsp;mi&nbsp;pareja&nbsp;en&nbsp;un&nbsp;juego&nbsp;de&nbsp;jardín&nbsp;en&nbsp;la&nbsp;recepción,&nbsp;pero&nbsp;no&nbsp;tome&nbsp;la&nbsp;opotunidad&nbsp;y&nbsp;simplemente&nbsp;decidí&nbsp;sentarme&nbsp;en&nbsp;mi&nbsp;mesa.&nbsp;Estaba&nbsp;tan&nbsp;agotada&nbsp;que&nbsp;decidí&nbsp;irme&nbsp;después&nbsp;del&nbsp;primer&nbsp;baile&nbsp;de&nbsp;la&nbsp;pareja&nbsp;para&nbsp;poder&nbsp;conducir&nbsp;a&nbsp;casa&nbsp;de&nbsp;manera&nbsp;segura.&nbsp;Mientras&nbsp;me&nbsp;despedía&nbsp;de&nbsp;mis&nbsp;amigos,&nbsp;Miguel&nbsp;me&nbsp;preguntó&nbsp;si&nbsp;quería&nbsp;bailar.&nbsp;Le&nbsp;dije&nbsp;que&nbsp;estaba&nbsp;a&nbsp;punto&nbsp;de&nbsp;irme,&nbsp;pero&nbsp;que&nbsp;estaba&nbsp;segura&nbsp;de&nbsp;que&nbsp;lo&nbsp;volvería&nbsp;a&nbsp;ver.&nbsp;Me&nbsp;tomó&nbsp;la&nbsp;primera&nbsp;hora&nbsp;de&nbsp;mi&nbsp;viaje&nbsp;a&nbsp;casa&nbsp;darme&nbsp;cuenta&nbsp;de&nbsp;que&nbsp;en&nbsp;realidad&nbsp;estaba&nbsp;coqueteando&nbsp;conmigo.&nbsp;Había&nbsp;estado&nbsp;tan&nbsp;agotada&nbsp;de&nbsp;estudiar&nbsp;que&nbsp;no&nbsp;me&nbsp;di&nbsp;cuenta.&nbsp;Estaba&nbsp;tan&nbsp;bien&nbsp;vestido,&nbsp;educado&nbsp;y&nbsp;atractivo&nbsp;que&nbsp;no&nbsp;podía&nbsp;creer&nbsp;que&nbsp;me&nbsp;había&nbsp;perdido&nbsp;una&nbsp;gran&nbsp;oportunidad.&nbsp;Me&nbsp;comuniqué&nbsp;con&nbsp;algunos&nbsp;amigos&nbsp;para&nbsp;tratar&nbsp;de&nbsp;averiguar&nbsp;quién&nbsp;era&nbsp;y&nbsp;pude&nbsp;encontrarlo&nbsp;en&nbsp;Instagram&nbsp;para&nbsp;finalmente&nbsp;conectarme.&nbsp;Una&nbsp;vez&nbsp;que&nbsp;realmente&nbsp;empezamos&nbsp;a&nbsp;conocernos,&nbsp;quedó&nbsp;claro&nbsp;que&nbsp;cada&nbsp;uno&nbsp;de&nbsp;nosotros&nbsp;era&nbsp;exactamente&nbsp;lo&nbsp;que&nbsp;el&nbsp;otro&nbsp;necesitaba.

How we met

A day in May, while we were heavily into hiking, I asked Ashley to travel with me to Kent falls. The drive there was&nbsp;very long and I could tell she was not aware of what was about to happen. By this point we were ready to get out of the car and stretch our legs. We had both of our dogs and we still had to climb to the top of the waterfall. The steps up were very steep, and with the path being wide enough for one person, it was very difficult to control both dogs. They wanted to say high to everyone on the way up. Once we reached the top, both out of breath, I asked Ashley to check Vader’s harness’s pocket for something I left in there. She turned around to open the pouch and turned around to let me know nothing was in there. As she turned around, I was on one knee with the ring on my hand waiting for her to see me. With the waterfall rising behind me I put the ring on her finger, and I stood up to hug her. She told me she had no idea and that she was so very happy. Once we celebrated with Vader and Chewbacca for a little, a couple saw us and asked if we would like some pictures. On our way down Ashley was very excited to let everyone know what had just happened. Being able to do this with our dogs and at a waterfall was always how I wanted to do this, and I wouldn’t change a thing about that day. On the way back she confessed that due to all of the excitement she didn’t even remember what I had said, so got to hear it all again. Un día en mayo, mientras estábamos muy metidos en el senderismo, le pedí an Ashley que viajara conmigo a las cataratas de Kent. El viaje fue muy largo y me di cuenta que ella no tenía idea de lo que estaba a punto de suceder. Cuando llegamos estábamos listos para salir del carro y estirar las piernas. Teníamos a nuestros dos perros y todavía teníamos que subir a la cima de la cascada. Los escalones eran muy empinados, y con el camino lo suficientemente ancho para una persona, era muy difícil controlar a ambos perros. Querían decir “Hola” a todo mundo en el camino hacia arriba. Una vez que llegamos a la cima, ambos sin aliento, le pedí a Ashley que&nbsp;buscara en el bolsillo del arnés de Vader por algo que dejé allí. Se dio la vuelta para abrir la bolsa y cuando volteo para decirme que no había nada, yo estaba de rodilla con el anillo en la mano esperando a que ella me viera. Con la cascada rugiendo detrás de mí, le puse el anillo en el dedo y me levanté para abrazarla. Ella me dijo que no tenía ni idea y que estaba muy feliz. Una vez que celebramos un poco con Vader y Chewbacca, una pareja nos vio y nos preguntó si nos gustaría algunas fotos. En nuestro camino hacia abajo, Ashley estaba muy emocionada de que todos supieran lo que acababa de suceder. Ser capaz de hacer esto con nuestros perros y en una cascada siempre fue como quise hacer esto, y no cambiaría nada de ese día. En el camino de regreso confesó que por la emoción ni recordaba nada de lo que le había dicho, así que lo pudo escuchar otra vez.

The Proposal

Our Story

Photos

Kristen Conti

Shannon Rouse

Samantha Nisler

Merideth Talbot

Moriah Beckerman 

Jarrod Burse

Steve Barnett

Rob Young

Oscar Rivas

Brian Beckerman

Wedding Party

Q + A

Mention the Beckerman/Rivas wedding and provide the date and block code! 

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Bristol, Connecticut

Hampton Inn Waterbury

Courtyard Waterbury Downtown

Quality Inn

For those traveling from outside of CT, this is the main airport.45 miles from Waterbury

Bradley International Airport

A second international airport for those traveling from outside of the country. 86 miles from Waterbury

LaGuardia Airport

Travel

Things to Do

Registry

Ashley & Miguel