Blake + I met in October of 2020, I was out with my friends when my phone buzzed. An alert from Tinder let me know that someone on the app SUPER LIKED me! I was so sure Blake was going to be another elderly man, so you can imagine my surprise when Blake was someone my age. I swiped right and we started chatting immediately. -Wendy

Wendy and I met in the late fall, under the height of COVID weirdness and still made it through. I remember seeing her profile on Tinder one night, she seemed funny, classy, beautiful and strange like myself. I liked her (whether or not I superliked her is irrelevant), she liked me back, and the convo started. I still remember meeting her for the first time outside of Buba Noodle, waiting on a bench and how enthralled in conversation we were. Those vibes never stopped! -Blake

Blake + I share an enthusiasm for all things weird, in 2021 we travelled to the Betty and Barney Hill Alien Abduction Site in Lincoln, NH. Comically the abduction site is now a gas station, where we bought refreshments and snapped pictures with our matching tin foil hats.

We both got a fast start in 2020 and so much happened! We did a lot of exploring together through the natural and architectural wonders of New England. We spent a lot of time in craft breweries or slurping down a tasty bowl of ramen noodles on the Maine coast. We were both insanely busy but always found time to have fun and have our adventures together. I took her to Peaks Island (a ferry ride to get there, off the coast of Portland, Me.); after we had seen the sights, we decided to walk back from the middle of the island along the perimeter. After every curve in the road I said “it’s right after this turn”. Let’s say, after about 6 of these, she didn’t believe me anymore, but she stuck by me and I know she always will.

Our first trip to Florida was so fun! My sister Ashley wanted to bring us to a restaurant that served fried French toast sticks. The restaurant was inside a retirement home, and I was wearing a tee shirt with a GIANT Grim Reaper graphic on the front and back. Blake + I laughed endlessly as he walked closely behind me, to hide the Grim Reaper, as we headed to our table.

There were a lot of wild things this year. I started a new career, we were growing our family of friends. Roof deck parties, trivia nights, movie nights on the deck. We grew a life together and really cultivated a close knit group of friends we could share memories with. We also saw some far out E.T. activity in Exeter (just missing the last trolley to the crash site) and took a grand trip to Florida (two drive through safaris, one alternate Civil War with dinosaurs history theme park, and so much good food).

Every Thursday we'd play trivia at HopKnot with a rotating cast of friends! We'd all laugh for hours over drinks and trivia questions that either brought all of us together, or not. At the end of the night we'd all hug and laugh as we said goodbye!

This year was transformative for me. After a health scare, there was a new me and Wendy was there to support me the whole way. She made me brave, brave enough to get a mullet. That’s right, that’s when all this started. I think things just snowballed after that and I think I developed a better understanding of self and identity and I have my love, Wendy, to thank for that, in large part.

The night of our engagement was so fun! Blake made reservations at Buba Noodle Bar where we had our first date in 2020. Later he'd bring me to karaoke night at HopKnot where he'd propose while singing Al Green! I was caught off guard and took the longest pause in history before saying, "yes!".

This was the year I did it, I popped the question and Wendy kept everyone at the edge of their barstools as they waited until I prodded her gently for the answer. I love this woman. We shared many memories, but chief among them was camping in the Northern Maine woods. She stuck through setting a tent up in the rain, sleeping in a wet tent all the first night and being a trooper the whole time. We got dry, we had one of the best times of our lives and I know there will be many more like it.

We've been busy planning our wedding and enjoying the early warm weather. We're so excited to host everyone and have an unforgettable wedding! -Wendy


Some people think I’m a little crazy for wanting to cook and entertain our friends and family during our wedding, but there is nothing more I’d love to do. I can’t wait to invite you all into our lives, our wedding, our temporary home at the hacienda and the plethora of activities and fun times we will have (and also some of you into our kitchen, I’m going to need help chopping!). -Blake