It all began with late-night conversations by Candlewood Lake during the summer after Hannah’s first year at UConn and Carmine’s last. Just two weeks later, we packed up Carmine's old Subaru and road-tripped to Savannah, Georgia to visit Carmine's brother (shoutout Pete)— because when you know, you know (or at least you take a leap and see where it leads). Spoiler alert: it led us here. 💕

From there, life together quickly became a blur of adventures. We road-tripped, cheered at UConn basketball games (and tailgated just as hard as we cheered — go Huskies!), and made memories at everything from Mets vs. Yankees games to weekends at the Big E. Traveling together gave us some of our favorite early moments — whether exploring new cities, catching sunsets on the road, or laughing our way through every plan that didn’t quite go as planned.

Eventually, the adventures shifted closer to home. We discovered the joy of lazy summer days by the lake, spontaneous dance breaks in the kitchen, and plenty of time with family. Then came the pandemic, where we found ourselves working side by side at Hannah’s family’s dining room table — with Carmine and Hannah’s mom becoming unlikely desk buddies. Those slower days reminded us that no matter where we are, whether halfway across the country or just in the living room, life is pretty wonderful when we’re together.

Post-lockdown, we moved to New Haven, CT, and quickly fell in love with life there. Carmine discovered his obsession with New Haven pizza (RIP, Hannah’s gluten-filled days), while Hannah found herself asking nightly, “Was that a gunshot or just a car backfiring?” Safety concerns aside, we really loved strolling through Yale’s beautiful campus, walking to Toad's Place (where Carmine was brought on stage), and even having the chance to share dinner next to Stephen Colbert. During this time, Hannah also celebrated a huge milestone — earning her Master’s degree! It was also when our little family grew — we adopted our two cats, Guinness and Foster, who quickly became the heart of our home (and the true rulers of the apartment).

Then came Denver: new mountains, new adventures, and a new hobby where Carmine taught Hannah to ski and—shocking everyone—we’re still together. These days you can find us hiking, losing to each other in darts (well, mostly Carmine winning… except that one time), doing yoga together, or reading the same book and dramatically whispering, “I can’t wait for you to get to the ending.”

Along the way, we traveled to Switzerland, Ireland, and a few fun trips around the states, falling even more in love with each adventure. In Ireland, on the stunning Cliffs of Moher, we took the next big step and got engaged — a moment we’ll never forget.

We’ve covered a lot of ground (literally and otherwise), and we’re just getting started building a life full of unexpected turns, inside jokes, a lot of Thai takeout—and plenty of cuddles and mischief from our two cats, Guinness and Foster. We’re so glad to have you along for what’s next.