Our Love Story As Told By by Gabriella-

It was June 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when Justin and I first connected on Hinge. Our connection was instant, with hours spent daily chatting on Snapchat and sharing glimpses of our locked-down lives through photos. Funny enough, we didn't end up meeting until about a month into talking. Partially because of my schedule but mainly I just got so nervous because I really really liked him. I felt completely at ease with him and I knew that if I met him and things went well, I just found my person.

After a month of constant messaging, we finally met on July 27th. With most places closed, we chose mini golf for our first date. Justin picked me up, and our conversation just picked up where we left off through text. He made me laugh so much my cheeks hurt and I even pretended to be bad at golf so he could teach me how to putt using the classic first-date move. (Just kidding, Im actually the worst at golf!)

When our mini golf game was over around 6 pm, neither of us wanted our date to end. With limited public options, we ended up staying in his car, talking the night away. The most memorable part was opening the sunroof to stargaze and search for constellations together. Lost in each other’s company, time really seemed to stand still, and before we knew it, it was 2am.

Stargazing became our thing. We would hang out on my roof and just lie there for hours talking the night away. I really knew that Justin was exactly who I was searching for when he met my dog, Mila. She was not a fan of men in the past and the first time he met her I had to excuse myself to the bathroom. When I came out he was on the floor with her just playing. She LOVED Justin and it was so comforting to see him treat her as his own.

That unforgettable summer, we were inseparable, and on September 6th, we officially became a couple.

Our relationship progressed quickly, but we were thankful for the pandemic quarantines that allowed us to condense so much valuable time together. That following spring, I moved into Justins place, bringing along my plus one -my weenie dog, Mila. And began our journey of creating a beautiful life together in Harrison, NY.

During that time, we were each others biggest fans, pushing and supporting each other to chase our dreams in ways we never imagined. Justins career skyrocketed as he began touring the world, while I held down the fort and earned my masters in digital marketing. I was all in supporting Justin as his career blossomed, and he was always there, cheering me on, showing me that my dreams were totally within reach.

Eventually, our cozy one-bedroom started to feel a bit too cozy, with Justins office in the living room and my workspace in the bedroom. Craving a better work/life balance, we decided to move into a bigger place just two minutes away from our first apartment. We were closer to town and it was at this point we were very sure that we want to settle down and grow our family in Harrison.

The next step seemed natural when Justin proposed on June 27th - though we had already booked our wedding venue before he could even pop the question! We were so eager to spend forever together. In February, our little family expanded once more with the adoption of another weenie puppy, Nico.

As we look back on the whirlwind journey that brought us here - from matching on Hinge to creating our own beautiful world with Mila and Nico - we feel overwhelmed with love.

This is the life and family we dreamed of and we cannot wait to take the next steps by celebrating our marriage . Our love story is just beginning.