Wedding Date on May 4, 2020

Through mutual friends that were visiting D.C. on a weekend, Thomas and Cassie Ann met on H street in Washington, D.C. on November 19, 2016. Thomas was getting ready for a Friendsgiving and Cassie Ann was about to have a night out with her girlfriends, but God had other plans in mind. As soon as Thomas found out that his friend wanted him to meet Cassie Ann, he left the Friendsgiving and went home to make banana bread (big crowd pleaser) and get his apartment ready for a party. Cassie Ann had no idea she was going to meet the man that she would one day call her husband. Cassie Ann noticed that Thomas had a Salvador Dalí print on his wall in his apartment, and Dalí being Cassie Ann's favorite artist, was quite impressed! From that night on, they were inseparable. We got engaged in Napa Valley at the Tres Sabores Winery on March 2nd, 2019. It was a magical day that we will never forget. About a year earlier, we had visited this winery, and both of us were overcome by emotion from the natural state and beauty of the sustainable farm-focused winery. As part of our good friends' send off brunch, we were able to tour the winery in the hot late summer sun. Eventually, we found ourselves at "The Wedding Tree", a MASSIVE 600 year oak tree (dating back to 1660) that we were in awe of. We sat under the oak and seemed to be swept away into another world, without a care in the world, but we had each other side by side...and a glass or two of pinot. Fast forward to March 2019, they planned a trip to Napa after one of Cassie Ann's biggest work events of the year. Thomas knew she would be emotionally drained, and wanted to be able to relax with her and revel in the great work she had just accomplished. After a few days in Napa, he had scheduled time to go back to Tres Sabores, since they had such an incredible experience last year when they were there. It had been a long rainy season before they arrived in the Valley, so the vineyards and trees were flourishing in full bloom. The lush greens and ever-present wildflowers were a special treat to have during their visit. After finishing up the tasting, they ventured back to the "The Wedding Tree", more powerful than either of them had recalled. They spent a few moments reminiscing on their past and looking to their future. Thomas then dropped to one knee and asked Cassie Ann to marry him, and the rest is history.