Carlie and Ari met in 2019 when Ari joined the Meetup group "Delaware Young Professionals" - a social group Carlie had been a member of for years.

There was nothing romantic about their relationship at first, but they became casual friends.

At the height of the pandemic in the spring of 2021 (right before vaccines came out), Carlie and Ari recognized each other at the Giant Supermarket on Concord Pike in Wilmington, Delaware. A glimmer of romance was sparked that day in the frozen food isle as they stood six feet apart in their COVID masks talking for an hour about sports, exercise, nutrition, cooking, and YouTube videos. All restaurants, cafes, and recreational facilities were closed, so a follow-up date just wasn't in the cards.

They lost touch until August of 2022, when Carlie organized an outdoor concert activity for Delaware Young Professionals. Hardly noticing the performance, Carlie and Ari talked through the entire concert.

The following weekend, they met again at the yearly BBQ.

One week later, they embarked on their first official date at Brandywine Creek State Park. A second date at Ubon on the Riverfront ensued shortly thereafter.

They've been inseparable ever since - renting a house together in Wilmington and adopting two cute little stray kittens named Polly and Lizzy.

Sharing a love of exploration, Carlie and Ari have been on numerous adventures that have included exploring the restaurant scene in Philadelphia, biking from the Wilmington Riverfront to the city of New Castle, traveling to Lima, Peru for a friend's wedding, hiking Machu Picchu, exploring a cave, and hosting parties in their own home.