Alex & Michaela

Every great story has chapters. Ours just happened to begin on a ski slope over twenty years ago.

We first met when we were eight years old on the ski slope. Michaela was always the better skier (Alex has long since accepted that), but for years we were simply friends. From high school into college, that friendship grew stronger and quietly became something more. Looking back, there wasn't one defining moment when we fell in love—it happened through years of shared experiences, endless conversations, and always finding our way back to each other. Somewhere along the way, friendship became love, and before we knew it, we were building a life together.

In 2017, while we were both in graduate school, we moved in together. Soon after came Nori, followed just one month later by Tuckerman, and somewhere along the way, the four of us made our house feel whole—like a true home. In 2019, we bought our first house and spent countless weekends renovating it room by room, creating a place that truly reflected us.

In October 2021, during a weekend getaway to Newport, Rhode Island, Alex surprised Michaela with a beach proposal complete with flowers, champagne, and a photographer hidden nearby. It was everything Alex had hoped for—except for his less-than-convincing attempts to stall before heading to the beach. The proposal was perfect, and the photos quickly turned into two people laughing their way through every pose.

Like every great story, ours has included a chapter we never expected. Just one day before we were scheduled to put the deposit down for our wedding, Alex was involved in a ski accident that left him paralyzed. Wedding plans were replaced with hospitals, rehabilitation, and learning what our new normal would look like. Those years tested us in ways we never imagined, but they also strengthened our partnership and reminded us that the best things in life are worth fighting for.

As life slowly returned to a new sense of normal, we found ourselves escaping to Mystic whenever we could. Every visit brought a new favorite restaurant, another afternoon of wine tasting, and another reason to fall in love with the town. Before long, it wasn't just our favorite weekend getaway—it felt like the perfect place to begin our next chapter.

We can't wait to celebrate with all of you in a place that means so much to us. Thank you for being part of our story and for joining us as we begin the greatest chapter yet.