It all started at Bryant University where Mike and Steph met. They always shared mutual friends and would say hello to each other in passing but it wasn’t until one night at Effin’s (the go to Thursday night bar for Bryant students) where they hit it off in February of their senior year. It was Steph’s first time ever at Effins for her birthday and as she was walking to the bar by herself to grab a drink out of nowhere came Mike who shouted “Happy Birthday”, bought her a drink, and the rest was history. Little did they both know that would be the beginning of their love story. For the weeks and months to come their connection grew, but upon graduation Mike would be headed back home to Long Island and Steph would be in Massachusetts. Neither of them knew what their relationship would look like over 200 miles apart.

Only a couple of weeks after graduation Steph had a trip with her grandparents planned to Long Island. A couple weeks after that Mike came up to visit Steph to go to a concert in Boston. Despite the distance they could not stay away from each other for long. These were the first of what would be many trips visiting each other across those 200 miles.

On September 21, 2018 back at Effins for Alumni weekend at Bryant is when Mike asked Steph to officially be his girlfriend. From then on would be almost 4 years of long distance where they both realized the mutual effort that both put in to always make each other a priority no matter the distance. Every visit was a new adventure meeting each others friends and family, going on vacations, trying new restaurants and so much more. Although it was not always easy it was always worth it. With each year their love for each other grew stronger.

In June of 2022 after Mike had earned his Masters degree and got a new job based in Marlborough, MA, he made the big move and moved in with Steph in her hometown of Franklin, MA. This was a beginning of a new chapter for them. Living together only helped them to grow closer, learn even more about each other and figure out what their futures would look like.

Just about a year later on May 27, 2023 Mike proposed back at the place where it all started, Bryant University. Steph was completely taken by surprise. Little did Steph know that would be the beginning of their forever!