Meet Nicole + Paul: Dating, the Proposal, and Married Life
When & how did we meet?
Paul: Do not laugh, but we met on Myspace in Fall 2005!
Nicole: I was there specifically to keep in touch with college friends. I even listed on my profile that "this wasn't a popularity contest," and I would not accept friend requests from people I did not know. Paul’s oldest daughter convinced him to make a Myspace account and he messaged me because we had similar interests. He sent me a friend request and I accepted …and yes, he pointed out that I did not know him!
So glad I decided to break my own rules that day!
Left Image: The characters from FLCL (2006)
Right Image: Andy Warhol and Edie Sedgwick (2010)
What did you do for dating fun?
Nicole: Our first offline meet up was at a Burger King parking lot and then we went to explore the abandoned Rocky Point Park in Warwick, Rhode Island. Keep in mind this was before the Craig's List killer! Back then, everything about this seemed totally legit!
Since our first meet up went so well (and it turns out Paul was not a serial killer) we had our first official date at India Restaurant in Providence. Our mutual love of food, fancy cocktails, and derelict buildings brought us closer together!
How did Paul propose?
Paul: We LOVE New York City, especially during the holiday season. We planned a trip and stayed at our favorite hotel (the Hudson) hoping to see the Guggenheim Museum. We always tried to check it out on previous trips, but it was ALWAYS closed on whatever day we tried to go. But not this day!
Nicole: As luck would have it, this was the day Paul planned to propose, and so he did right there in the Guggenheim! It was all such an exciting blur; I have no idea what he said (woops) but my response was "Are you serious?" I wish someone were there taking photos, it was so unexpected! My reaction is still a joke to us all these years later! Needless to say, I eventually just said “Yes!”
What do you do for married fun?
Nicole: Ever since we had our son, Trey, we have a new definition of fun! Fancy cocktails & abandoned buildings look more like juice boxes and bouncy houses most days, but we would not trade it in for the world! Starting a family together was the best idea Paul and I ever had. Family trips to the beach, kayaking, fishing, and more fill up the rest of our free time. We look forward to watching him grow up and work hard to provide the best life possible for him!
Right Image: Our Tiki Cocktail Party (Dressing the part is required).
How do we keep the romance alive?
Nicole: The best advice we ever got was to keep a good work & life balance, especially during the busy photography season! Before having Trey, we got out all the time. Now it is a little trickier, but we plan two date nights or days a month. This way we guaranteed time to put our ourselves (and our relationship) first!
This is us on the Schooner Aurora for their brunch sail - it was delicious - highly recommend it!
As far as keeping the spark alive, we like to surprise each other with romantic getaways or gifts. Last year, I did a boudoir shoot for him. Paul LOVES soccer, so I got dressed up in some soccer gear as the theme for the shoot. He loved the photos, but to be honest, it ended up being a great gift to myself, too. DAMN I LOOK GOOD! LOL!
Anything else you want to know about us? Have questions about our photography services?
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