Our story of love began in August of 2022. Dan was running late for the first date (unusual for him) and Olivia was running early (unusual for her) standing out in front of Grand Vin restaurant in Hoboken.

They had been speaking for a few weeks on Hinge. For those of you who don’t know – it’s one of those “dating-apps.” For years, they had been trying to find each other the old-fashioned way, but their paths never seemed to cross. Instead, fate led them to an online application where they matched via some fancy algorithm and connected via a “swipe-right” (the 21st century version of exchanging a glance at a bar and the gentleman asking to buy the lady a drink).

Before they met in person, they exchanged pleasantries and went back and forth asking each other the standard “icebreaker” questions (little did they know how special their initial exchange would become). Dan learned Olivia loved the beach, deep belly laughs, HGTV, spending time with her family and friends, and apparently had a twin. Olivia learned that Dan worked in Finance, enjoyed cooking, was a great swimmer, and also counted fishing as one of his favorite hobbies (though she questioned the actual size of the fish he spoke of catching). He also possibly mentioned his own love for HGTV (what he actually meant was his involvement in his condo association - very different than “open floor plans” and “shiplap.”). They were both excited to meet each other, hoping they had found “the one.”

The first date:

Dan walked up – introduced himself, Liv gave her standard “Hey!”, and an immediate connection was felt by both. Olivia was impressed with Dan’s charisma and blue eyes, Dan was impressed with Olivia’s warm personality and bright smile. Needless to say, it wasn’t a one drink at the bar and call it a night kind of date! They ended up strolling through the streets of Hoboken, having a wonderful dinner, and even stopping for another drink after dinner! By the end of the night sparks were flying. Dan walked Olivia to her door – gave her a kiss on the cheek and thanked her for a wonderful evening. He was so excited, he asked if he could see her again. Upon hearing a “yes,” he happily began to start his walk away – at which point, Olivia said “hey, you might need my phone number for next time!” and she gladly entered her number into Dan’s phone.

Soon enough was the second date, and then the third. Hoboken, a town which Dan hated for its lack of parking and congestion became a place he was thrilled to go! He couldn’t care less about circling the block 20 times looking for a free space – all for this special girl he couldn’t wait to see.

After only a handful of dates, he was clearly in love. Olivia found herself quickly feeling the same. At the end of summer, Dan had a week-long trip planned at his family’s house in Outer Banks, North Carolina. Olivia suggested it would be nice to talk on the phone a bit while he was away. Well, Dan proceeded to call Olivia every evening! They both feel this was a special moment in time that led to their connection growing deeper. Dan even came home a day early (unbeknownst to Olivia) for their next date!

They soon found themselves spending more and more time together – making lots of future plans, enjoying family events, and sharing beautiful memories. They discovered they have so many things in common. Both passionate about their work and achieving their goals. Both extremely close with their siblings and families. They grew in their love by sharing experiences such as cooking (and snacking), venturing to new restaurants, taking adventures to high rooftops, heading to the beach, soaking up the sun (as much as possible), traveling, watching documentaries/movies/shows (Olivia must watch until the very end, Dan will fall asleep at the start), having long and thoughtful conversations, going for walks (and “runs”), getting lattes (mostly Olivia), getting gelato (mostly Dan), and most of all - spending time with family and friends.

If you asked Dan why he fell in love with Olivia – the answer’s simple – she’s always smiling, she’s always positive, she’s always laughing, she’s exceptionally genuine and of course, she’s beautiful!

If you asked Olivia why she fell in love with Dan, the answer’s fairly simple as well – he’s extremely thoughtful (always thinking of and taking care of everyone around him), he’s always spontaneous and full of energy, he’s very charming and utterly handsome!

Dan and Olivia think the best way to describe their relationship is in the name of a song which they both (coincidentally) always counted as their favorite – excuse the cliché nature but if you’ve ever heard the song “What a feeling” by Vic Latino, that’s it!

The proposal:

For months Dan had been mentioning the idea of getting engaged, but he still wanted to find a way to surprise Olivia. Anyone who knows Olivia well, surely knows that she loves a good surprise but is also quick to solve a mystery or figure out the ending of a movie well in advance of it being reached. With that being said, Dan devised a plan. He figured out that if he created enough confusion, he’d have a better chance of catching Olivia off guard. As soon as he started planning for the moment, he began “dropping hints” – but he was really trying to lead Olivia into thinking it could happen on multiple different occasions.

Well, Saturday, October 28th came along. It just so happened to be an extremely rare and perfect summer day at the end of October. Olivia’s favorite season is summer, so she was especially excited to take of advantage of the day! The weather circumstances were more than fitting and seamlessly helped the pieces of the day fall into place. Little did Olivia know what was about to happen.

The plan was for Dan and Olivia to go out in Hoboken for a nice brunch with Olivia’s twin sister, Jessica, and her boyfriend, Joe, and see where the day took them as they enjoyed the unseasonably warm weather. As they ventured out for their undetermined “Saturday fun day” plans, Joe suggested starting off with grabbing drinks at Blue Eyes, a famous Hoboken pizzeria overlooking the Hudson. They began to walk by the waterfront, Olivia mentioning again how perfect the day was while they strolled. As they approached Blue Eyes, Dan suggested Olivia and Jessica take a picture in the circle in front of the restaurant to capture the NY skyline on such a beautifully clear day. Olivia did think this was a bit unusual for Dan to suggest, but proceeded to pose with Jess for a few shots. Dan then asked Jess to take a picture of the two of them. As Jess started to take some photos, Dan nervously fumbled in his pocket, but managed to grab the box without Olivia noticing! Before she knew it, Dan was down on one knee and popping the question!

What followed was a whirlwind of emotion and a thrill like she had never felt. Olivia was ecstatic! They were engaged! They were both filled with the excitement of calling family and friends to share this special moment, while Jess and Joe were ready with champagne and an impressive charcuterie board spread. They then all made their way together to Grand Vin (the restaurant Dan & Olivia went to on their first date) and enjoyed some cocktails followed by a wonderful dinner at their favorite steakhouse in Hoboken, Dino & Harry’s. Olivia was more than overjoyed, but Dan had another surprise up his sleeve! Brunch plans were already prepared for the next day to celebrate together with their loved ones! It meant so much to be with their parents and siblings (and baby Jack!) for this most momentous experience of their lives. Olivia and Dan were showered with so much love and heartfelt kindness from their family and friends, and they could not wait to continue the celebrations!

July 26th, 2024, will be a day we will celebrate forever. We’re so honored and thrilled to share this special moment with the people we love most! Thank you for taking this wedding journey with us. We promise you an incredible celebration that would not be complete without you!