Maggie and her family landed in Rome to mark the start of their week-long vacation in Italy. Andrew had been studying abroad in Siena, Italy, and his family joined him for his final week there. Andrew's last day in Italy, coincidentally, was August 4. The stars collided (sorry, corny) when the Carmen family and Withiam family stayed in the same hotel, and overlapped by just a few hours -- as Maggie was checking in, Andrew was a few hours away from checking out. Maggie's mom, Mary Beth, went to the rooftop breakfast space to get some coffee. As she entered, she noticed a cute, sleepy-looking young man wearing a "Hamilton College" t-shirt. Mary Beth was stunned to see that someone from the same, tiny Upstate New York school as Maggie was staying in the same hotel! She approached him, and he shyly introduced himself. Mary Beth eagerly reported this back to Maggie who, with her professional internet sleuthing skills, was able to find Andrew on social media. They connected and intermittently texted before returning to campus at the end of the summer.

On campus, Maggie and Andrew began spending more time together -- doing homework, watching movies, and meeting each other's friends. This is their first "unofficial" couple photo together.

This was the first formal (ish) party that Maggie and Andrew attended together. Later that night, Andrew asked Maggie to be his girlfriend!

Andrew's fraternity was notorious for hosting uniquely-themed parties. This was their Art Party, during which the hosts and their dates dressed in vibrant, "artsy" attire. Party goers circulated the house with glasses of fine, boxed wine and lifted their noses at the brothers' created artwork covering the walls.

By March, Maggie and Andrew started to get the hang of date parties.

Hamilton's spring seasons were rainy, muddy, and so much fun!

At the end of 2019, Maggie and Andrew attended a holiday party at a cabin outside of Clinton. Andrew was thrilled to have this opportunity to wear his favorite sweater, featuring Santa and Jesus sharing a eggnog.

Another day, another themed party.

Just a few weeks before the school departed for spring break (and unknowingly, with no plan to return, due to COVID), Maggie and Andrew enjoyed one final Art Party together before Andrew completed his senior year from home.

Andrew graduated from Hamilton (from his backyard)! It was a bittersweet end to his senior year. His graduation robe did not arrive in the mail in time, so he borrowed his dad's bathrobe.

Andrew is officially a college graduate! Maggie and Andrew begin their journey of navigating a medium-distance relationship, as Maggie prepares to begin her senior year at Hamilton and Andrew enters the workforce.

Maggie and Andrew took turns at visiting each other in Connecticut and Upstate NY.

Maggie and Andrew went down to Florida to celebrate the marriage of Wilson (Andrew's brother) and Kelsey! This was such a wonderful time away with family.

After Maggie graduated, she moved to NYC. Andrew knew where he had to take her first!

Maggie and Andrew enjoyed traveling via Metro North to see each other, especially for holidays like the 4th of July.

Maggie and Andrew took full advantage of her beautiful rooftop in NYC.

In Spring of 2023, Maggie graduated with her Master's in Social Work from NYU. Andrew was her biggest supporter.

Celebrating Maggie's graduation!

In August of 2023, Maggie and Andrew were ready to move into their first apartment together, and slowly begin to expand their family. Meet Penelope!

Maggie and Andrew became seasoned wedding guests, and Maggie wondered if the weddings that they were attending over the past year and a half were beginning to spark any ideas for him. Not quite yet.

Maggie and Andrew took a brief trip down to Florida with Maggie's dad and had a great time in the sun, away from the honking horns of the city.

This was Andrew's first trip to the Outer Banks! Maggie and her family have been going all her life; in fact, Maggie's mom has been going to the Outer Banks since she was little. This was a true rite of passage for Andrew.

Another wedding! Several family members asked Andrew if he was thinking about proposing to Maggie and Andrew's calm response, "we're working on it", was totally thrilling to Maggie. She fought with all her might to not pry.

Maggie and Andrew enjoyed one last calm weekend before packing their small suitcases for a short week in Paris.

Maggie (and a lot of her friends) were pretty sure that a BIG question was going to be asked during this trip in Paris. Although there was no proposal, the trip was magical, albeit cold. Maggie and Andrew walked along the Champs Elysees, visited small, local restaurants, and loved starting each day without an itinerary.

Maggie and Andrew returned to NYC and enjoyed visiting their favorite garden in Central Park, the Conservatory Garden.

Andrew's office throws fun holiday parties!

Maggie and Andrew rang in the new year. 2025 was about to be a REALLY good year...

On February 22, 2025, Andrew's and Maggie's families came to NYC at the end of the day to surprise the couple, because...

Andrew brought Maggie back to their favorite garden and asked her to marry him!

She said, "I'll think about it."

It was the best day ever!

Maggie and Andrew visited her family in Cazenovia, NY to mark the start of the wedding planning process.