Chapter 1 - Meet Cute

Joel and Ariana met in a bar (Small Victory, if you want to visit!) and had a cocktail. Ariana hadn’t had dinner and suggested getting a burger. They ended up talking for three hours and didn’t notice that the burger never came out until the restaurant closed. They knew there would be a second date.

Chapter 2 - Love in the Time of Covid

After only a few weeks of dating, the Covid 19 pandemic shut down the entire world, leaving Ariana and Joel quarantining together. During this time they had to get creative with dating — many of their early dates were things like berry picking, virtual escape rooms, Zoom trivia, drive-in movie theaters and hiking. Even though they spent nearly every minute together, they never got tired of hanging out. And that was when they knew they were in love.

Chapter 3 - Long Distance: The Dark Ages

Only 9 months into their relationship, Ariana moved to Fort Worth to begin PA school. For the next two and a half years, she and Joel persevered through endless Facetimes, cross-Texas drives (made bearable by dozens of hours of podcasts), and missing each other. Despite all the things they had going on in their lives, they always made time for each other. And they were very excited when the next chapter began.

Chapter 4 - Adventures in the Concrete Jungle

After Ariana finished school and became a PA, Joel and Ariana moved across the country and into an apartment in New York City. They made new friends, found a great community, and got to see each other every day. In July 2024, Joel took Ariana to Little Island Park on the Hudson River and asked her to marry him — and she said yes! Leading us to the final chapter…

Chapter 5 - Start It With Us!