how we met
We were brought together by good friends, a beautiful place, and the unbearable heat of a mid-summer day. Here’s a third person account of how it all began…
June had nearly faded into July the morning that Tessa’s roommates invited her to go swimming at some spring-fed rock quarry without actual GPS coordinates. Her longtime-friends-turned-lovebirds (Jenny & Wesley) were planning to meet up with an old friend and “all-around awesome guy” that had traveled down from Philly for the weekend. Not entirely sure why it made sense to drive forty minutes towards DC and away from mountains for the sake of outdoor adventure, Tessa decided to tag along anyway. The air was thick with humidity and a freshwater swim sound like the perfect respite.
When they arrived at their destination, Tessa was surprised to be greeted by a junkyard instead of a quarry hole. A winding maze of scrap metal and heavy machinery created a uniquely cinematic scene. Eventually, the gravel path led into a lush perimeter of trees, and she was able to catch a glimpse of the golden cliffs and the fresh reflective water in the distance.
When Tessa got out of her car, her appreciation of the unique landscape was interrupted by the sudden view of a handsome young man operating an excavator… casually shirtless, glistening in sweat, and moving boulders for no explicable reason. By the time he hopped off his machine and joined her for a swim, Barak and Tessa’s story had already been put in motion.
she said yes
Sunday, October 9th, 2022
the engagement
October 9th began as a sweet, sleepy Sunday. Barak had risen early to work on his family’s farm and Tessa had spent the morning tidying the kitchen while dancing around the house to Elton John. There was a simple joy underlying their day, and Barak asked Tessa if he could take her out to dinner to thank her for making the house look so nice. On the way, Barak received a call from his younger brother Aury asking him if he could stop by the quarry and “help him with a chore really quickly.” They arrived just as the quarry cliffs were drenched in early evening light, the water reflecting the beautiful amber color of the rocks.
And so, at golden hour, just as Virginia’s autumn leaves were peaking with honeyed and crimson brilliance, Barak and Tessa arrived at the place where they first met and he asked her to spend the rest of her life with him.
After realizing it wasn’t in fact a rhetorical question, she said yes… Absolutely, most definitely, a thousand times yes.
