"When I first met Carissa, I remember thinking to myself 'this girl is so beautiful; I don't stand a chance.' I made the decision to just be myself and hope for the best, including spilling salsa on my shirt, which we still laugh about today. After a night full of lively conversation and good laughs, I thought 'wow, I wonder if I just met the girl I'm going to marry.' Flash forward and it turns out that same girl is not only beautiful, but supportive, brilliant, and caring. She provides balance and allows me to pursue being the best version of myself. I am so glad that I get to have Carissa as my companion for life's adventures. With her by my side, I know we can do anything."

"On our first date, I remember being amazed at how genuine DJ was and in awe of the way that his smile lit up his whole face. I remember thinking how cool DJ was for all his accomplishments and travel experiences, when I was fresh out of graduate school. Over the years, we have learned so much from each other and our myriad of experiences together, and DJ has become both my roots and my wings. I like to think that we balance each other well; we take turns being the reasonable one and alternate who gives support. I like to describe our relationship as a partnership- we always make sure we find a way to forge a path forward together. I am so grateful that the universe gave me such a kind, hard-working, handsome man to travel through life with. I know DJ will never leave me hanging, and I can't wait to be forever by his side and make sure that brilliant smile appears as often as possible."

DJ works at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia as part of their emergency transport team. He has worked as a pediatric critical care nurse for the last 6 years. He also goes on an annual dental mission trip to the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

DJ loves craft beer and considers himself a chicken wing aficionado. He thinks all food is better if you dip it in something and has a pretty serious hot sauce collection. If professional chicken wing taster was a job, he'd probably consider a career shift.

DJ is originally from New Jersey and is a true Jerseyite, from a love of Taylor Ham (not pork roll), to doing the "Jersey slide" to merge into traffic, and insisting that all Chinese food, bagels, and pizza that don't come from north Jersey are gross.

Carissa works at an environmental nonprofit doing mapping to support land protection efforts. She has worked in the environmental field since getting her Master's in conservation biology 4 years ago.

Carissa is an avid animal lover and nature enthusiast. If you ever go for a walk in the woods with her, be prepared to hear about all the cool plants, learn some bird calls, and stop to admire every dog that passes.

Carissa is known to own more books than she can possibly read, especially of the science fiction genre, and mostly purchased from small secondhand shops. One of her happiest achievements is getting DJ into reading- with history being his favorite genre.

DJ and Carissa love to travel together, eating new foods and exploring new cultures along the way. Some of their favorite destinations so far have been Annecy, France, Redwood National and State Parks in California, Segovia, Spain, and Cayuga Lake in New York.

DJ and Carissa have a little Yorkie mix dog named Woody. You can often find them walking in the neighborhood or on the couch together watching shows on Netflix like How I Met Your Mother, Stranger Things, and Cheers.

DJ and Carissa live in the Philadelphia area. They like to try new restaurants, take day trips to find new book stores or wineries, and explore the historical and cultural opportunities that the area offers such as museums and parks.