Matthew & MaryEllen: The Story of Modern Fate

The Beginning:

MaryEllen and Matthew met in 2014 the way so many people nowadays meet- online. MaryEllen, from Brooklyn, matched on okCupid with Matthew while working in Staten Island. Neither of them had ever really met in person with someone they met online but after about a month of virtual communication, the pair realized their quick connection and planned to meet. Their first encounter was casual, meeting at Starbucks in the mall, where they truly hit it off. After another month of getting to know each other, Matthew and MaryEllen began dating during the holidays 2014. Once they met, they knew their quick connection was not just fleeting- they knew they were meant to be.

The Proposal, as told by MaryEllen:

"Matthew proposed during Labor Day weekend. The night he proposed, he asked me out to dinner but we had been out the previous night so I gave him a hard time about going out. He eventually convinced me and brought me to my favorite restaurant in Brooklyn- a small Italian place called Ortobello. After dinner, we went back to my apartment to watch a show together. Matthew asked me to put on the show while I wondered what he was doing and what was taking him so long to come sit and watch. When he finally came to watch I could tell something was up. He was acting nervous and pacing a little. He started talking and told me how much he loved me right before dropping to one knee. He struggled a little trying to get the ring box out of his pocket but finally did and of course I said yes.

I was overwhelmed and cried (happy tears)… We tend to be more private with moments like these and I was so thankful he chose to propose with just us there. I don't think I would've been able to handle a room full of people for such a special personal moment- plus I was a total mess.

Matthew and I had talked about marriage before and wanted to get engaged sometime in the near future. I thought it would happen maybe around Christmas this year, closer to our anniversary, but he took me by surprise. I think he chose that particular date because it was a long weekend with the holiday, which gave us more time to celebrate.

The day before he asked me, Matthew went to ask my parents permission and showed them the ring. They were so excited they could barely keep the secret. The told my sister right away but no one let it slip to me. Matthew and I had plans the Friday he went to see my parents, so he went before he planned to see me. When I was leaving the house to go out for the night, my mom let out this big happy smile, but my sister brushed it off and I left. If I didn't have plans that night and had stuck around any longer my mom probably would've let the big surprise slip out. Everyone was very good about keeping the secret even though they were just as happy and excited as I was.

The ring:

"The ring is absolutely perfect" said MaryEllen. Anna helped Matthew choose a beautiful white gold prong set Gabriel & Co ring with a brilliant round center stone. Matthew worked hard to pick the perfect ring for MaryEllen- she never asks for anything and he wanted her to have something as special as she is. MaryEllen used to walk past the old Goldmine store as a child and look in the window as a kid and loved that coincidental connection when she heard the ring was from Gerald Peters.

What's Next:

Matthew and MaryEllen plan on having a Sunday wedding at the Venetian in August of 2017. They weren't sure a 2017 wedding would work out with the timing, but when they saw the venue and found a date that worked perfectly with their schedules, they jumped on the date and couldn't be more excited to start their lives together.