Swipe Right, Swipe to Life

Like most of your modern romances, this one started with some battery power and access to wi-fi.

Drew met Denise on Hinge after swiping right to her response to a prompt that said "I'm almost always going to ask 'why?'". Perusing, Denise was humored by his stiff peace pose during a basketball game and thought, 'why not?'. A text thread was then started, both taking a chance on the game of fate.

"He's sweet, I really want him to ask me out", Denise confided to one of her girlfriends (now bridesmaid!) Perez. Thankfully for her, she receives a text that night saying, "Do you want to grab tea?", to which Denise happily says yes to. Who knew the happiest yes would come three years later?

Love on the Weekend

As Covid stories go, Drew and Denise spent their burgeoning romance in the spaces within ‘bubbles’ and Facetime calls, where safety and familiarity were found between relentless Centre Thai takeouts and the depths of HBO.

They favored driving upstate where the mountains ran wide, and the quiet rang sweet. They drove to the water in the summer, or rode slowly past in the frigid winter, just to be close to nature and the forces that moved moments, forces that moved them together.

And when the world permitted, they flew to different states to celebrate other people’s love, both cementing in the hope of starting their own adventure together.

Meet Me by The Water

On a hot summer Friday, Drew planned to pick Denise up from Sheepshead Bay to drive home to Long Island together. "We'll pick up Randazzo's, it'll be fun!" he said.

He parked right in front of the seafood bar where they had their first date and struck a conversation about the upcoming Barbie movie they intended to see. Drew handed her a sealed envelope saying "I printed the tickets, check them while I go get the food". Suspicion arose, as Drew was always the type to use an online wallet, and Denise wondered why he ordered food without asking her what she wanted. But suspicion grew to curiosity then to sweat-inducing excitement, as Denise opened the envelope to reveal a homemade ticket, with the details as follows:

Come join us for a RING Celebration! MOVIE NIGHT

Date: 07/21/2023

Starring: The Love of My Life

Time: Forever Puhon (*Cebuano for "God willing")

Place: My Care, Wherever, Whenever

RSVP: Meet Me by the Water

Denise peeked outside to an empty dock save for Drew with his hands in his pockets. The sun putting on a show, clouds sparse across the sky, and the seagulls flying over them unknowing what is to come. Two people edging towards forever, across where they shared a plate when they were three years younger.

...

And now here you are, at the end of this page, hopefully clearing your schedule for one happy night next September.

We can't wait to share our love with you!

- Drew and Denise

Photos