OUR STORY
“His smile was infectious then, and it still is. I was always finding an excuse to see him.”
— Marie
“From Sydney to everywhere we’ve traveled since, Marie has always been the person who lights up the room, makes everyone laugh, and leaves an impression wherever she goes.”
— Noah
Marie and Noah met during their second week of freshman year at Wake Forest University. A night of speaking very nonproficient Spanish, dancing, and feeling an undeniable spark quickly turned into a friendship neither of them could ignore. From the beginning, they were each other’s favorite dance partners, a role they have never stopped filling. After a year of friendship, with the occasional kiss hehe, they grew even closer. But it was a trip to Austin City Limits, hosted by bridesmaid Tori Aldredge, that changed everything. Somewhere between the music, the Texas sun, and Marie’s near heat stroke, they fell for each other, literally and figuratively.
From there, their relationship became one long adventure. They spent college surrounded by friends, making memories on campus, dancing whenever they had the chance, and eventually studying abroad together for a semester in Sydney. They traveled throughout Australia and to Bali, Thailand, New Caledonia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. Those experiences confirmed what they already suspected: they were at their best together, whether exploring somewhere new, navigating the unexpected, or finding a way to have fun through it all.
After college, they both continued on to graduate school at Wake Forest before moving to Washington, D.C. Together, they supported one another through new careers, big decisions, and eventually the shared choice to pursue their MBAs. Their ambitions may take different forms, but they share the same desire to build something purposeful and leave the world better than they found it.
In many ways, Marie and Noah have grown up together. With each new chapter, they have continued to grow individually while somehow always remaining on the same page about what matters most: building a meaningful life, keeping family and friends close, and choosing each other through every season.
Through it all, they have remained best friends. They love traveling, hosting friends, watching movies, spending time with family, and returning whenever they can to one of their favorite places, Harbour Island. More recently, they welcomed their dog, Bondi, and quickly became completely obsessed dog parents. They still love music and dancing just as much as they did the night they met, and wherever life takes them, they always seem to find their way back to the dance floor together.
At the heart of it all, their favorite thing has always been simple: being together.
THE ENGAGEMENT - MARCH 7, 2025
Noah proposed at the Constitution Gardens on the National Mall, one of their favorite spots, after secretly coordinating with Marie’s coworkers to block off her Friday afternoon. Still delirious from a work trip earlier that week, Marie suspected nothing until Noah called and told her to check the basement, where she found an outfit laid out and a note telling her to be ready to meet a driver.
Once they reunited, Noah walked her through their relationship with a letter for each year, paired with saved ticket stubs, notes, room keys, and other little mementos before asking her to marry him. Marie used to playfully tease him for “hoarding” these things, but it turns out he always had a plan. They celebrated with one of their favorite traditions, a picnic, followed by dinner at the Kennedy Center and an overnight stay at the St. Regis.
The surprises continued the next day when friends and family who had flown in from across the country appeared at their DC home. From there, they celebrated with dinner at Sequoia, a special place where Marie, Noah, and her parents had once dined with her late grandmother, Norma, then danced and bar hopped through Dupont until 4:30 a.m.
They closed out the weekend by creating a collaborative art piece with everyone who had traveled to celebrate. It was an unforgettable weekend and the perfect start to an exciting new chapter.
