April 27, 2018
The night Phillip and Lauren met, they went to a British pub in Paris, The Bombardier. It was a Friday night and they'd only started talking via Tinder a few days earlier. Lauren accidentally bought the first round, though Phillip quickly made up for it as the night went on. After closing down two bars (the other being a real dive bar) and sharing a ride home (they lived a block away from each other), they shared their first kiss in the pouring rain. They stood outside kissing until they were both drenched. It was a first kiss to remember!
The photo is the first photo Lauren ever took of Phillip, well after their first date on July 15. This was taken shortly after France won the World Cup, and we have absolutely no idea who is hugging Phillip!
November 13, 2018
Lauren and Phillip continued to see each other non-stop in the months that followed. One rainy Wednesday in November, Lauren texted Phillip at work, saying, "I want to get out of the country this weekend. Interested in joining?" Phillip responded immediately: "I'm in." That night, they found the cheapest flights (Prague) and booked them for the following Friday. That trip made the relationship more serious, and they both had an incredible time! Ask them about the kilo of pork knuckle they ate in one sitting. The photo is the first-ever photo they took together - big step!!
December 1, 2018
Not even a month later, Phillip and Lauren decided to travel yet again, this time to Amsterdam (where Phillip was often going for work). While seated at the Heineken brewery bar, Phillip looked at Lauren and romantically said "You know we're a thing now?" After some mild panic and light-hearted joking, Lauren agreed. How could she resist those eye crinkles?
March 1, 2020
In early January of 2020, Lauren and Phillip decided to live together! Phillip moved into Lauren's studio apartment. Thankfully, this phase was short-lived, as the couple quickly found a new place to call their own. They moved in to their sweet apartment on Rue de Braque on March 1, two weeks before the first Covid lockdown. Little did they know, they would be spending a LOT of time together in this space. When Macron announced the first lockdown, friends and family said that this would be a test. It sure was, and they passed with flying colo(u)rs! Facing everything together was incredibly rewarding. They've experienced several big milestones since - their first Christmas and Thanksgiving together, work promotions, a stressful US election and of course the ups and downs of Covid. They're stronger for it.
June 4, 2022
Phillip spent several weeks working with one of Lauren's favo(u)rite jewellers in Paris to design the engagement ring. Then on 5th December, coincidentally the same day that Phillip's older sister Claire announced her engagement to Matt, he gave them the go ahead to make the ring. The ring was ready a few months later and so began the process of planning how to ask Lauren.
At the end of May, Lauren took a trip to Greece with her mom giving Phillip the perfect opportunity to speak with Lauren's father and ask for his blessing, which was thankfully granted.
A few days later, once Lauren had returned from her trip, Phillip organised a surprise dinner with Lauren. As she was rushing to get to ready and out the door, he slowed her down. He spoke to her about how happy he is, how much he loves her, how much they have grown together, and how he wants continue growing together forever. At this point he got down on one knee, and using her full name, asked Lauren to marry him.
After asking if this was really happening and happy crying... she said YES!!!
The ecstatic couple then braved the thunderstorm crashing outside to get to dinner at a small Parisian bistro (a frequent haunt for the couple, ask Lauren about the croque - iykyk). Lauren's parents were waiting there with Champagne to celebrate the next step in the couple's lives.