Sam and Caroline met, as many of our contemporaries do, online. There was an immediate connection, and the only reason they didn’t see each other right away was because Caroline had COVID, a very February 2021 thing to do. As soon as she was better, they made their way to Castle Island, a family favorite for Caroline. Sam’s a Chicago guy who loves a good hot dog, and Caroline loves showing off all New England has to offer to anyone new. Caroline’s sister, Laura, warned her to be safe meeting a stranger online to be sure he wouldn’t kidnap her. Caroline responded, “He’s coming on a bike. If anyone’s getting kidnapped, it’s him.” She did end up giving him a ride back in her car later that day.

As they started their first date, it was nonstop talking. Not a single silence was had. As you all know Sam and Caroline, you know how much they can talk. Caroline hopped over a fence to take Sam down to the beach to show him the green crabs and tell him about some aquatic drones she used while working in the harbor. Sam told her about how although Dunkin might’ve started in Massachusetts, the best donut, the long john, doesn’t make an appearance here. Caroline did finally have a long john years later at Mall of America, a detour on their way to Sam’s brother’s wedding. This went on for nearly 8 hours. It was obvious from that day, that they were going to spend as much time together as they could.

Brimfield is a small town in western Massachusetts. Each year, three times a year, they host one of the largest flea markets in the nation. Nine square miles of antiques and oddities. Sam and Caroline’s favorite weekend activity are to run to their local Savers, Goodwill, or independent antique store to explore whatever odd and interesting items they can find. This made Brimfield the ultimate stop for them.

They go out at least once a year. Sam will make some sandwiches and wrap up some pickles. Caroline stocks the cooler with water, and sunscreen. Then, they head out at the crack of dawn. They’ve spent hours in Caroline’s Subaru Outback, just talking or listening to the playlists they’ve made each other. Often, they’ll turn to each other, just to make the same comment about something they’ve just passed. Exploring the antiques and pointing out every little thing they like or don’t like, something they like but don’t actually want or maybe but just not at that price. They’ve found treasures like Caroline’s 1903 The Ladies World print or their 1970’s Aurora Derby toy horse racing game, soon to be a staple of their annual Kentucky Derby parties. Every piece tells Sam a bit more about Caroline and tells Caroline a bit more about Sam. They get to see how their tastes and styles overlap and explore the differences, however few they may be, that they do find. They are by no means a case of opposites attracting, or as Sam’s sister, Charlotte, said after meeting Caroline, “Oh God, there’s two of them.”

Caroline’s love for all things old comes in part from how closely she’s worked with her dad, Jono, in his woodshop. There, they take items, mostly dressers, tables, chairs, etc. pulled from the trash, and restore them into beautiful timeless pieces. Just months after meeting, Caroline gave Sam a drafting table her father and her fixed up. This was a loan of course, but it now sits prominently in the living room playing host to some of their favorite artwork.

Caroline has taught Sam the ropes, so he can be more than just the muscle when moving these pieces around. She’s taken him into the shop to refinish pieces like her favorite low-boy dresser and dining room chairs. He is very meticulous but slow, often thinking of a plan as long as it’ll take him to execute it. Caroline, like her father, is confident and direct when tackling projects. They’d measure, cut, sand, and stain before Sam would’ve looked up from his notepad. Restoring and building furniture together has not only helped Sam and Caroline learn how they can work as a team together, but it has helped Sam learn to over plan less and Caroline to plan ahead a bit more.

Sam bought the ring in July of 2023. After he had bought the ring, he took a day off of work to bike down from Boston to Weymouth to ask Michele and Jono for their daughter’s hand. The question came as no surprise of course. This was not just because why else would he have come so far so secretively, but because it had been apparent to them, him, and her that they were ready to be wed. After being granted their blessing, Jono, Sam, and Michele went into the basement to prepare a ring box, something physical to carry their blessing to the couple. With the blessing acquired and the ring in hand, Sam was ready to propose.

The day before the planned proposal. Caroline and Sam decided to have a nicer dinner than normal. Sam prepared some steaks and Caroline opened a bottle of wine. At this point, he had the ring, all the plans set, and was terribly nervous about everything going well. As they sat across from each other in the chairs they’d built together, he knew then that this was the perfect time to propose. He was never good at planning surprises, and she was never patient enough to wait for them. So, he proposed that night. All the planned activities still occurred, donuts were still eaten, but with a fiancé instead of a girlfriend.

As all who’ve planned a wedding know, there are many ups and downs that go on in the background. We want to thank all of you who’ve supported us during this process and all who will be kind enough to attend. We are beyond excited to celebrate with everyone this July!