April 2, 2017
Anyone out there in the dating world knows how difficult it could be to find your perfect match these days. It's a constant effort of weeding out the undesirables that can leave you feeling drained and defeated (take it from us, there are some real winners out there). Thanks to modern technology, dating apps have made the first step much easier.
Brant happened to be driving in my neck of the woods one day for a business meeting when his boss asked him to pull over so he could use a restroom (thanks, Dan!). Upon waiting for Dan, Brant took out his phone, opened his Tinder app, and saw my profile.
We both swiped right, and the rest is history!
-Melissa
April 15, 2017
After weeks of texting back and forth and talking on the phone, we set a date to meet in person. Although we are both avid Mets fans, I was awarded Legend Seats at Yankee Stadium for having the highest sales at my job for the quarter.
I drove out to Long Island to pick up Melissa, then to the Bronx, then back to Long Island, then back to Brooklyn, then looked for parking for 45 minutes when I got home... sorry, back to the story (I sure don't miss those days)...
We bonded over ravioli at the buffet, threw back some beers and Tito's with lemonade, laughed a ton, and even got our parking "baladated" (private joke). She left grease marks in my car from her shea butter lotion and I later found out her parents spied on us by taping the game so they could see the "bearded mystery man."
So basically, it was the best first date ever!
-Brant
May 20, 2017
Just weeks into dating, Brant's sister invited me to join them on a sibling trip to Montreal.
The three of us bonded over poutine, crepes, and Cirque du Soleil (if you haven't seen Volta, it's a must!). We also climbed to the top of Mount Royal and did some bird watching at the Biodome. This trip pretty much solidified that this wasn't just a fling. I mean, if you can have fun with people watching birds, you can pretty much have fun with them doing anything.
-Melissa
From Michelin-starred restaurants to diners, drive-ins, and dives one thing is certain; we love good food and wine!
In the infancy of our relationship we often shared pictures of lunches, dinners, things we cooked and baked, and links to restaurants we wanted to try.
We shared each others favorite hometown local spots from Salumi in Massapequa to Mimi's in Brooklyn.
We've eaten at the best restaurant in the world (EMP) and unfortunately have had our share of some of the worst (we won't mention any names).
In our travels we have had Haitian food in Montreal and side-alley sandwiches in Rome. We've enjoyed pizza in a piazza, pizza with ocean views in Aruba, and pizza while watching Rosanne on the couch (we've eaten a lot of pizza).
Although it's hard to say precisely which meal was our favorite, we know that the best one was the one we shared together.-Brant
November 14, 2017
One of the many reason we get along so well is because we both love travel and adventure. When it was time to book our first official trip as a couple, we both agreed Rome was the perfect destination. From the sights to the culture to the food, we immersed ourselves in everything this beautiful city had to offer and we truly enjoyed one another's company. It was during this trip I realized how much more rich life can be when you have your perfect partner to enjoy it with.
I also fell a little ill on one of the days there (my birthday, no less) and Brant patiently nursed me back to health with his care and a delicious prosciutto and mozzarella panini. He truly knows the way to my heart!
-Melissa
January 1, 2018
Come on knock on our door...
There always comes that point in a relationship where you have to say to yourself, "where is this going?". It was clear to us early on that it was going the distance.
Moving in together was an exhilarating adventure. Five or six trips from Brooklyn to Massapequa. Visits from strangers that met me on OfferUp, LetGo and Facebook's Marketplace. Many boxes and packages shipped via the post office, and then with everything remaining, figuring out where it all goes.
Living alone you accumulate so much "stuff." Most of it you let go, and it doesn't phase you. Some of it meant something in the past, and oddly doesn't mean much shortly after you get rid of it. The lesson I learned from purging was it's not about what you're getting rid of, it's about what you're gaining.
We gained non-stop laughter (we literally laugh ourselves to sleep at night), countless dinners together, a reason to make nightly spontaneous trips to Carvel, someone to cuddle while watching our favorite shows, and waking up next to the person you want to spend the rest of our lives with.-Brant
February 2, 2018
Since we started talking, I had always told Brant about this carousel I wanted to visit in Brooklyn. Little did I know, I was setting the scene for one of the happiest days of our lives.
On the coldest day of 2018, Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter. So naturally, Brant thought it was the perfect day to take me to an outdoor carousel right on the East River.
As we approached the carousel, the cold air suddenly didn't matter anymore. I was so excited to finally see it in person. The carousel was even more beautiful than I had imagined and the views of the city were magnificent.
Brant told me he had a gift for me. He presented me with a book he had made titled "The Story of Melissa & Brant", complete with pictures of French Bulldogs (my favorite dog).
He then got down on one knee, and asked me to be his wife. Of course I shouted, YES!
I was then introduced to the photographer he secretly had taking pictures of the entire thing. We took some more pictures and then headed to Prime for dinner to celebrate.
It was truly a magical day that we will remember for the rest of our lives!
-Melissa
September 21, 2018
We set the date and we cannot wait to make it official and celebrate with our closest family and friends!
-Melissa & Brant