We (Julia and Chris) met on an app called Bumble back in 2017. Our first date was at New Amsterdam bar in Lawrenceville. We talked for about 3 hours on that first date, which felt like a good sign that we had potential for a real connection. Our second date was a little bumpy (we went to a movie and were too awkward to hold each other's hand). But, after that, we were back on track and started building our love story in Pittsburgh.

We moved into our first apartment - the one over Butterwood Bakery - in 2018. We explored local restaurants in search of the best pizza the city had to offer. We saw movies and concerts and went to dance parties with our friends at The Goldmark and Spirit. Chris supported Julia's musical gigs, and Julia cheered Chris on at the finish line of his races. 2020 came along and, through a lot of podcasts, zoom calls, and TV show binging, we survived the worst of the pandemic together in Pittsburgh.

Chris got his PhD that summer, and in February 2021, we moved to Durham, NC. We both got new jobs and started a new adventure together here. We had some lows (our sweet little scaredy cat, Lawrence, passed away in 2022) and some big highs (we got engaged in March 2022!!) We've made many memories here in Durham: trips to both the mountains and the beaches have been so much fun. Of course, we've also been eating our way through the city and making a list of all of our favorite restaurants. (Viceroy, Cucciolo Osteria, and Pizzeria Mercato are top of the list.)

Being on our own in a new city, we've grown together even more and are proud of the life and the love we've created. But we miss our family and friends often and are SO excited to come home to Pittsburgh for our wedding!!! WE CAN'T WAIT TO CELEBRATE WITH YOU!

Photos