Our Story
On our wedding day, we will have been together for eight years and have traveled to thirteen different countries together. Here is a bit about our journey over that time.
The Early Days
We met in Washington D.C. in the summer of 2016. Our first date was at a restaurant called Bar Charley in Dupont Circle. We had such an instant connection and got so caught up in our conversation that we completely forgot to order food, and the waiter almost kicked us out! Following that date, we spent the next several months seeing each other whenever we could, constantly ubering between Brandon’s apartment in Mt. Vernon and Anna’s in Van Ness across town. Through after-work dinner dates, vacations in Southampton, weekend trips to Ocean City, and exploring DC museums and restaurants, we grew closer and closer.
The Travel Years
In May 2017, Brandon was accepted to the London School of Economics for his Master's degree, and started traveling to and from London for several weeks at a time. At the same time, Anna began traveling to the Middle East frequently for work. Despite all the travel, we remained inseparable throughout this time, even moving in together during the summer of 2018. Over the next couple of years, we visited eight countries and territories together while building our life together in DC.
Milwaukee
In October 2019, we relocated to Milwaukee. Our first five months in Milwaukee were spent exploring the city, going on brewery tours, visiting the seafood market oyster bar too many times, and testing the limits of our winter weather gear. After COVID hit, we adapted to the work-from-home atmosphere. Thankfully, the cost of living in Milwaukee meant that we had an apartment with a home office, but we still somehow ended up sharing a dining room table as a desk. We spent our time watching every reality show Netflix released, cooking elaborate meals, and trying our hand at making wine in our living room (disclaimer: it was terrible). Even with the struggles of the pandemic, we left Milwaukee having loved our time there and the opportunity to try living somewhere new together.
Return to Washington
We returned to D.C. in November 2020, and accidentally(?) moved into the exact apartment Brandon had lived in when we first met! While in Milwaukee, Brandon had promised that we could get a puppy when we returned to DC. In July 2021, Brandon fulfilled his promise and we brought home our precious pup Charley (named after the location of our first date - Bar Charley). However, before Charley joined the family, we spent one final, dog-less weekend at a boutique inn in Virginia’s wine country called the Inn at Willow Grove.
The Proposal
A little over a year later, Brandon planned a weekend return trip to the Inn at Willow Grove and surprised Anna by proposing on Saturday morning. He got all the aspects that Anna had asked for in a proposal: he ensured her nails were done, the location was special to us, and there was a photographer (who hid behind a tree while he popped the question)! However, the proposal almost didn't happen because Anna mistook the ring box for a salad dressing container.
What's Next?
We are so excited to celebrate our wedding in Spain with our family and friends. We are still deciding on our honeymoon location, but look forward to traveling somewhere new.
