After having moved to Syracuse two years prior and having had no success on past dates, Valerie began to believe that Syracuse's reputation as "The worst city for finding love" was true. However, being the hopeless romantic that she is, she reactivated her Bumble dating profile once again.

Michael, realizing that a pandemic would not offer many opportunities to meet women, decided to venture for the first time on to the online dating scene and created a Bumble profile.

It was a match! Their first date was on a cold December night. Conversation flowed easily given their similar family backgrounds and complimentary senses of humor. The mishaps of Michael almost locking himself out of his car and Valerie accidentally insulting his hairline, only made each more endearing to the other.

Fast forward two years and again, on a cold December night, Michael asked Valerie to be his wife.

We are so excited to start this next chapter of our lives and to have all of you there with us to celebrate!