Victoria tagged along with her cousin to a pool party in Melrose with Dan’s college friends — not knowing her life was about to change. At the time, she was his best friend’s, friends, girlfriends, cousin at the time (say that three times fast!). She immediately caught Dan’s eye. From that first evening, they clicked right away, and what began as a friendship steadily grew into something much more.

When COVID slowed the world down, their connection deepened. They discovered they lived just a few doors away from each other in Woburn, which made time together effortless. Nights were spent watching movies and ordering in at Dan’s place, or Victoria cooking dinner for them at hers. In those simple, everyday moments, their relationship blossomed.

Dan’s calm and uplifting spirit naturally balanced Victoria’s anxious (yet endearing) energy, and together they found joy in the things they loved most: the gym, movies, and concerts. As the years went by, they celebrated milestones both big and small. Victoria finished nursing school and began her career as a nurse, while Dan thrived in his career and pushed new limits in powerlifting. They explored the world together too — from beach vacations to an epic ATV adventure through the Arizona desert during a monsoon, a trip still hard to beat. Through graduations, career changes, competitions, and even difficult times, they stood by each other, growing stronger with every step.

On a family trip to Hampton Beach, Dan looked around at the laughter, smiles, and love surrounding him, with Victoria right by his side. In that moment, he had an epiphany — he felt completely at home, and he knew he wanted to marry her.

That dream became reality in Newburyport. What Victoria thought was just a family outing turned into the surprise of a lifetime. After brunch and a walk by the lighthouse, Dan led her to a quiet spot on the beach — while his best friend secretly hid in the sand dunes to capture the moment. There, he asked Victoria to marry him. She said yes, and the surprises weren’t over — family and friends were waiting at a nearby brewery to celebrate. It was a perfect day, made even better because it had been kept a complete surprise.

Now, after years of building a love rooted in friendship, laughter, and shared adventures, they can’t wait to begin the next chapter — surrounded by the people they love most.