How it all began
I saw Erin approaching along the busy streets of Arlington, VA, and was immediately captivated by her smile. We met for a quick bite at my favorite pizza shop before my soccer game with Champ. I remember telling him, “I think she could be the one,” and Champ replied, “All right, my guy, go off.”
The next night, Champ, Riely, Erin, and I hit the bars in Arlington and played games together. The four of us have been close friends ever since—from traveling to Houston to see Chris Stapleton with Allie and Zach, to planning surprise birthday weekends in the Pocono Mountains. Yet it wasn’t until later that Erin and I admitted to each other that, from the very start, we already knew we were meant to be.
— Alex
“The first time I saw Alex, Riely and I were standing by the large glass windows in our 20th-floor AirBnB, which we had rented for the weekend. My heart pounded in my ears as my anxiety built, not knowing when I would see my date cross the street. But Alex was easy to spot in his highlighter-yellow soccer cleats.
Riely and I raced down the elevator—of course, she couldn’t leave me alone with a stranger—and there he was, greeting me with an unforgettable hug. The rest of the pizza date was a blur, but on the ride back up to debrief with Riely, I remember thinking he felt like “the one.””
— Erin
Alex & Erin
Ever since that first encounter on May 18, 2022, Alex and Erin have been inseparable. They shared their first kiss on Key Bridge, overlooking Washington, DC, and the Potomac River, as the sun set behind Georgetown Cathedral. Soon after, they fell in love, bonding over their mutual passion for the outdoors—especially hiking mountains with their dogs. Laughter has always been a centerpiece of their relationship, reflecting their zest for life, no matter the ups or downs.
One of their favorite memories involves Alex carrying their dog, Bleu, across a narrow rock ledge, where Bleu let out a discontented “hmphhh,” as if voicing his reluctance to embrace these new adventures. Later, while settling in to watch the sunset at Chimney Rock in West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest, Erin joked, “Where are the colors?”—a lighthearted question that captures the playful spirit and camaraderie at the heart of their love. To this day, Erin and Alex can often be found laughing together, even when no one else understands why.
For them, one of the truest measures of love is the “litmus test” of whether they could ever imagine life without each other. Their marriage now solidifies the commitment they’ve shared since day one, grounded in a mutual understanding that they never want to spend a day apart.
And the rest is history
