The picture above was taken on Christmas Eve 2018 at the Maida Vale Underground station in London. The station plays a part in the movie “About Time,” which was the first movie we saw together sitting on the couch in Riley’s apartment in Astoria, Queens, New York. It has a special message about appreciating every moment of your life and the people you’re able to spend it with, and it’s a movie that we’ve watched together every year around Christmastime.
We are thankful for all of the people who have made us the people we are today, the moments in our lives that led us to each other, and every moment since. We hope the celebration of our engagement & marriage is an opportunity to not only recognize the love we have for each other, but to recognize the love we have for all of you and the love we hope to continue growing between our friends and families.
Sincerely,
Riley & Caroline
May 28, 2015
Front Toward Enemy, Astoria, NY. The bar where we first met!
Caroline’s Side:
My friend, Emilia, who lived in Pittsburgh at the time, was pushing me to make new friends in New York. She told me to download Meetup and find a group based on my interests (running. nope. photography. ehhh. astoria happy hour. maybe?). I chickened out on going to the first one I saw, but the next one was a block away from my apartment so I had no excuse. I went after work and there was a group of about 15 girls and guys who seemed really nice. I hung out the most with Lisa and Sean. Sean texted his roommate to come meet us at the bar since a few of us were about to leave to go to another bar down the block. Just as we were about to leave, Sean’s roommate walked in. His name was Riley. He was tall and handsome.
RILEY’s Side:
I was a mile away in my apartment, debating what to do that night. I was set to show my friend Jared around Astoria a bit as he was considering moving to the neighborhood. We debated heading into Manhattan for the night. In the end, we settled on street truck gyros and a drink in Astoria. I texted Sean asking if he’d meet up with us and he said he was with a great group of people a few blocks away and we should join. So we did! I walked into this great bar and Caroline’s face is the first thing I see when I come around the corner and she’s got this bright, shining smile on and she lit the place up. She had no idea I was immediately planning to ask her out and that I was ruining her plan to only make friends, unbeknownst to me at the time.
When I got home later at the end of the night, I texted her “You were really wonderful to talk to tonight. I’d like to take you out for a drink after work on Thursday. What time do you usually get out?”
Caroline’s Side:
I read the text while I was at home, but I had no idea who it was from. Who did I talk to with a 412 number? I did appreciate how this person constructed their text. Sweet, straightforward, and followed up by a question that doesn’t lead to a yes or no answer. Ugh, I really was trying to make friends, though. I slept on it. In the morning, I texted back, “Sorry, who is this? Lol I gave my number to a lot of people last night.”
RILEY’s Side:
Wow. Not the reply I was expecting. To be fair, it’s my fault for only having her put her number in my phone and not putting my number in her phone.
Caroline’s Side:
What I MEANT to say was that I gave my number to a lot of people to make FRIENDS. *face palm* I had no idea Riley liked me. Or maybe I did know, but I wasn’t focused on meeting a guy. Nevertheless, it was easy to say yes to a first date with Riley. I will be forever grateful that Emilia planted the seed and that I pushed myself to go to the bar that night.
RILEY’s Side:
I think this is the first time in the history of dating that someone has recovered from that text response. I’m glad she said yes! Before our first date, we went out with Jared, Sean, Lisa, and Kyle in the Village to see live music. We talked a lot, standing close to each other almost the whole night. We decided to change venues and as we were leaving, Caroline led the way through the packed crowd, reached out behind for my hand, and held it. And then I knew she liked me!
Our First Date
June 4, 2015. Vanguard Wine Bar, New York. A walk through Central Park and the Roosevelt Island Tram (pictured).
A European-themed wine bar with a quiet atmosphere was a great first date spot.
We talked two hours longer than the original plan and we’re pretty sure the bartender kept
pouring more wine even though we only ordered a bottle. The hours melted away and we ended up leaving after dark.
Riley was thrilled that Caroline had never been on the Tram before and he could show a native New Yorker something new.
Moving In Together
November 2016. Upper West Side, New York.
We moved in together in November of 2016.
We chose a very cozy and lovely one bedroom in the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
Riley’s king bed took up the entire bedroom wall-to-wall, but it was perfect and we loved it.
We have so many memories of hanging out with our families here.
Christine pretty much acted like she lived here too and that couch was a comfy spot for out of towners.
Back to Astoria
We moved back to Astoria in September of 2017. View from the fire escape.
Live Free or Die
The motto of our new home state (haha). Riley got a promotion at work and Caroline wanted to try something new after living in a major city her whole life (we still love you, New York & Miami).
We found a tiny house next to a small lake to rent as we adjusted to leaving the city behind.
We went from 1,000 delivery restaurants to zero. We traded dragging the laundry down the street for mowing the yard
and clearing 4 inches of ice off the cars at 6:00AM.
We got skiis and a couple kayaks and now take the time to enjoy the quiet of nature. That is when the snowmobilers aren’t racing
around the frozen water or the sea planes aren’t taking off and landing during the summer.
Caroline proved she could be comfortable anywhere! (And Riley makes up
for the lack of food delivery with his amazing cooking).
February 28, 2019
The proposal at The Plaza Hotel, New York.
Riley put the overall idea together early-on, knowing that New York would be crucial to the proposal as the place where we met and fell in love.
We were both in town for a work trip and while Caroline was gone, Riley secretly checked into the Plaza and set up a bunch of photos in the room of our time together.
30 of them had a story written on the back and were placed on a string around the room to follow and read.
The story was our story and Caroline slowly read through each one until she came to the end and then it was time to ask!
The rest is history 😊
FAVORITE MOMENTS
