The Best Laid Plans...
This is the one, right!?" It was February 2020, and Dania and Eric were feeling exhilarated. Six short months after their engagement they were spending Eric's birthday in Tulum, Mexico searching for wedding venues and catching some much-needed respite from the New York winter. They had just seen the perfect beachside location and couldn't help but daydream a bit about the big day.
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With their toes in the sand they sat drinking cocktails in the shade while discussing the details. Everything was going according to the timeline they had planned after their engagement. When they got back home to New York they were hoping to upgrade their apartment before their summer wedding, then in the fall they would start trying to add to their family. Little did they know their wedding plans would begin to unravel only a few weeks later with the pandemic.
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Despite the setback, one thing on their list DID remain on schedule. The next summer Dania and Eric welcomed a son into the world.​ Their boy, Archer, brightens every room he's in with his electric smile and infectious giggle. A perfectionist, Archie will attempt a new skill over and over until his progress meets his satisfaction. This is most evident when it comes to the piano. After an impromptu lesson from his Mi-maw on how to play the song "Chopsticks", Archie became determined to play it himself. Lately, we find him scratching out the notes and rhythm both at his grandparent's piano and his toy keyboard at home.
Her Side of the Story
Dania wasn’t expecting to strike gold on her first online date ever… but that’s exactly what happened. She didn’t necessarily know it at the time— her modest report of that first date was: “It wasn’t terrible”— but she was a jaded New Yorker after all. However, she and Eric had really clicked, enjoying easy conversation over cocktails and oysters. And they had already planned the second date on that first date: to sample tasty foods among the hipsters at Smorgasburg. Eric was new to the city— Dania caught him when he had been in New York only a week or two— and his optimistic world view and overall sense of wonder was so refreshing to her. As she got to know him more and more, she realized just how special he was. He was the kindest, most intelligent, most generous person she had ever met.
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When Dania finished grad school and started looking for apartments, while it felt too early in the relationship to have the conversation, she knew in her heart that Eric was going to end up moving in with her eventually, keeping that in the back of her mind as she looked for places. And indeed he officially ended up moving into her one- bedroom Upper East Side apartment 5 months later. Since then, Dania and Eric have bonded over their love of food and travel, over exploring the corners of this city that they live in, and over their shared values and desires overall. In 2018, they became “pawrents” to the adorable, albeit opinionated little Dobby (the “City Elf”) and became a pack!
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A lot has happened since Dania and Eric became engaged in 2019-- a global pandemic, 2 canceled weddings, a mid-pandemic move to Brooklyn-- but the biggest change of all was welcoming Baby Archie into the world. While, all this put wedding plans on hold, at the end of the day, Dania sees that Eric is her person in every way. He is an amazing partner and father, and she cannot wait to make it official and finally give their love the celebration it deserves!
His Side of the Story
After living in Barcelona for 2 years earning his MBA, Eric moved to New York city to embark on a new career. Little did he know he would find his future wife before finding his first post-MBA job.
After their first few dates, Eric was amazed at how easy it was to talk with Dania. He was impressed with her inner strength and passion, and found a kindred spirit who was an explorer at heart. After their dates he found himself holding his breath until their next encounter.
During his job search, Eric was able to convince Dania into foregoing expensive dinners out by using his culinary skills to whip up "romantic" dinners at home. Why see an expensive show when there are so many cultural landmarks Eric had yet to see like great New York museums (free), gallery openings (free), and strolls through Central Park (free)? ;)
To his pleasant surprise, not only did the ruse work, but their love continued to grow and soon they moved in together. As their careers began taking off, they expanded their excursions from the streets of New York to destinations around the globe. He realized he always wanted her by his side in life's adventures. He knew she was the one.
