Ari and Greg’s paths first crossed during a trivia night event. Though they were both ready to battle for the right answers, a curveball was thrown when trivia night turned into a round of impromptu speed dating. Instantly their senses of humor clicked, and they discovered their shared curiosity of adventuring. Soon after their first meeting, this conversation sparked and led to an ever-going series of surprises, road trips, and surprise road trips. Humor is a quality they both value in their relationship, and there isn’t a day where they aren’t giggling over puns, laughing at “a certain someone’s” Midwestern accent, or being silly goofballs together. Their deep connection and love only grew stronger the more time they spent together. They spent time as a couple exploring Virginia, Delaware, and West Virginia, finding hikes and riding bikes, sampling wines and beers, and floating along the Shenandoah. Once back at home, they continued spending time together and soon discovered their passion for cooking. They both recognize and appreciate each other’s culinary talents and quirks (Ari is a salad-smith and baker extraordinaire, and Greg is a grilling and deep-frying aficionado). To date, some of Ari and Greg’s favorite memories together have been cooked up in the kitchen.

When we asked Ari and Greg when they knew marriage was the next step for them, they admitted it was something they had both felt strongly about since they first met. Ari shared, “Truthfully, we have been inseparable ever since we started dating. Though it took some courage to share our feelings out loud, we both knew after the first few dates we were meant for each other. This quiet confidence that we had each found our person led us to decide we didn’t want to spend another day apart. We wanted to do life together. From early on in our relationship, our friends joked that we were very domestic because cooking and shopping together made us very happy (and still does!). A home, a big family, backyard BBQs, and several rescue animals have been in our life plans for a very long time. We want to get married to celebrate our love, and to solidify the bond we will share in this life and the next.”

In their free time, Ari and Greg love taking on new adventures and activities together. This includes exploring their neighborhood and the hiking trails with their recuse pup, never passing up the opportunity to get on a boat or bike, and checking out new bike trails in the area. They are notorious for planning surprise weekend trips that usually involve an elaborate scheme and itinerary. Ari and Greg also share a passion for cooking and love to spend their Sundays cooking together to prepare for the week. Recently their new favorite activity is “bike n’ brew” which involves taking a long bike ride to a brewery and sampling some beers guilt-free. However, at the top of their favorite things to do together they agreed that nothing beats hanging out on the couch after a long day, catching up, and watching some Netflix with their dog, Iris, and their cat, Grizz.

Ari and Greg have built their beautiful relationship with a shared value of three principles. First, don’t take life (or yourself) too seriously. Life is too short, and you could miss out on many fun moments if you do. Second, be willing to step outside your comfort zone and don’t be afraid to try anything once. Third, love un-apologetically and tell your people that you love them and cherish your time with them.