How We Met
I saw Zach at the gym during my sophomore year of college and thought he super cute. I told my best friend that I was going to marry him – even though I had no idea who he was yet. We eventually found out his name, became Facebook friends, but it didn’t go any further than that (he had a girlfriend, I had a boyfriend). Fast forward to October of my senior year… As I was going into my favorite college bar, Zach just so happened to be on his way out. He stopped me and said “What’s up, gorgeous?” to which I nearly fell on the floor. Turns out he was interested in me too. He said he was going to my sorority’s party (which I wasn’t going to) and something about me having a boyfriend anyway. I had just ended a relationship, and found out Zach was newly single too. GAME ON. We started hanging out more and more, but I wasn’t quite ready for another serious relationship. He eventually won out by using his salesman persistence and took me on a date to “Plan B Burger” (questionable name) at the end of December. We officially dating in January of 2012 and have been together ever since!
(college photo)
how they asked
Zach and I moved to Washington, DC two years ago, but New York is our home. (I grew up here and Zach in CT) Zach’s parents planned for us to come up to see them in NYC to go to a show and get dinner. It also happened to be Easter weekend so was the perfect time to see my family too.
On the day of, my mom, sister, and I got our nails done and then Zach and I took a train into the city to meet his parents. After dropping off our things at the hotel, he said we weren’t hanging with his parents quite yet, they were doing something with his brother first and we would be meeting them at our favorite bar around 3pm. I thought this was a bit strange since we came down to see them, but went along with it. (I was also 99% sure he might propose in May when we are taking a trip to California) The sun was out and it was a beautiful afternoon so we decided to take a walk through our old stomping grounds. NYC is where we first moved in together so its special to us many reasons. To get to our favorite bar we always would cut through our apartment complex so I thought nothing of it when he suggested we stroll through. We got to the fountain in the middle and he said we should take a picture.. again, a bit weird but if he wanted to, then sure. As we were walking up to the fountain I saw flowers, champagne, and two glasses and started freaking out, extremely skeptical of what was going on. He took my hand and said “Yep, this is happening,” and proceeded to tell me how he’s loved me for four years ever since our first date. His follow up line, “I might have taken you to Plan B, but you were always Plan A.” Cue tears and me frantically nodding yes as he got down on his knee and asked me to marry him.
One of our best friends was there on a bench sneaking the most amazing photos of the proposal, which made me lose it even more! There were also people who had stayed around to watch the whole thing because they had watched my sister and best friends setting it all up. One woman told us she had living in the complex for 50 years and it was the most special thing she had ever witnessed – so sweet.
The icing on the cake was walking over to our favorite bar to meet Zach’s parents only to find a room full of 30 of our closest friends and family. I will never ever forget this incredible day, how much planning Zach put into it to make it special, and the outpouring of love from all of the beautiful people in our lives.
