LOVE ON LOVERS LANE
The Love Story: Paityn and Matthew first crossed paths early in 2021. Paityn playfully refers to Matthew as the boy she “ordered” online— a special order with a no return policy. Their first date unfolded at the charming Hudson House on Lovers Lane in Dallas, Texas. Why?Because Paityn envisioned a future where they could say, “Our first date was on Lovers Lane!” Matthew thought Paityn was not interested in him as she stared at the wall behind him the whole night and did not eat a bite of their “shared” appetizer, a shrimp cocktail. Matthew opted for steak frites (which Paityn thought were chicken fried steak fingers but in fact were not). Paityn was too busy reading the wall behind Matthew to remember what she ordered. And yes, Matthew still teases her about that untouched “shared” appetizer and her intense interest in the wall behind him. Before they knew it, the night had slipped away and the restaurant staff began mopping the floors and putting up chairs, subtly telling the new lovebirds to get the heck out of there. As they were leaving, they eagerly planned their second date for the following evening.
Their second date was supposed to be a romantic home-cooked meal featuring salmon for these two foodies. Paityn now knows that Matthew does not prefer salmon but prefers to eat steak every night of the week. He sweetly arrived for their date bearing gifts: a bottle of wine for Paityn (he has since learned she prefers a fountain diet coke and frequently treats her to one) and a lime green stuffed lizard for Phoebe (he has since kept her supplied with pink, crinkly toys). Things were off to a great start! They ventured to the grocery store for what would become the first of many grocery shopping trips together, gathering everything they needed to create their culinary masterpiece. Excitement filled the air as they anticipated the meal and the chance to get to know each other better.
Fate, however, had other plans as that first meal prepared together would have to wait. Paityn accidentally locked them out of her house (a common occurrence for Paityn, Matthew would come to learn) with the groceries, Phoebe, and Paityn’s phone safely locked inside the house. They tried every window, knocked on neighbors’ doors, and even attempted to coax Phoebe into unlocking the door. Ultimately, they did not prepare a meal together that night but spent most of their second date sitting on Paityn’s doorstep, laughing and getting to know each other even more.
Valentine’s Day coincided with the infamous Texas Freeze that year. With no water or power, Paityn, Matthew, and Phoebe had a romantic candlelit fast-food dinner from Raising Caines where Matthew asked Paityn to be his girlfriend. And so began their love story—a tale woven from shrimp cocktails, locked doors, and the warmth of a Texas winter freeze.
SHE SAID YES!
After almost 2.5 Years together, the couple had just barely gotten the keys to their new home in Frisco, Texas, when Matthew received an offer for his dream job in Washington, DC. Without hesitation, they accepted the offer and began planning to move across the country —even before they had finished fully unpacking in Frisco.
Prior to moving, Matthew had lost a bet to Paityn, earning her a ring shopping trip. What started as a simple browsing session for fun turned into Matthew putting a deposit down on a diamond and scheduling an appointment to design the ring. When the ring was completed, Matthew secretly picked it up with the intention of waiting to reveal it to Paityn during the proposal. However, he couldn’t contain his excitement and immediately showed Paityn the ring when he got home—a moment that holds special meaning for them both. Together, they decided to keep the ring tucked away in their closet until they were formally engaged. Despite their agreement, the ring occasionally found its way onto Paityn’s finger. She admired its sparkle in the mirror, even wearing it during her daily runs to Chick-fil-A just to catch a glimpse of its shimmer in the Texas sun.
On July 8th, 2023, while on a house hunting trip to DC and in one of their favorite places, Old Town Alexandria, the ring was finally sprung from its hiding place in their closet. Matthew asked Paityn to marry him on a charming street by the Potomac—just the two of them. AND SHE SAID YES!
