Clear Cut Couples: Danielle and Tom
Tom and Danielle met through their mutual friends, Wyatt and Regan! Regan, Danielle’s friend from work, invited her to a backyard party in Williamsburg on a rainy night in October. Danielle almost didn’t go but decided to at the last minute. Tom had woken up on Mt. Lafayette in NH that morning. He hiked down and drove back to the city just in time to join Wyatt and his friends at the party. Tired from his hiking trip, Tom was sitting quietly in the backyard when Danielle walked in. Everyone else at the party seemed to introduce themselves to Danielle, except Tom. After a while, Regan encouraged Danielle to talk to Tom because she thought they would be a great match. Danielle found Tom in the crowd and said “Hey, you’re quiet, I like you.” They’ve been together ever since.
Tom invited Danielle over to his apartment and cooked her a delicious dinner (the first time she had ever tried venison). Danielle was so impressed by his cooking, she knew he was a keeper. With the holidays approaching, they squeezed in as many dates as possible and eventually moved in together after 6 months! They have been together 4 years exactly to the date of the proposal!
They have shared so many incredible memories over the years! Brooklyn is a special place to them for many reasons – it is where they first met, first moved in together (and still live), and got engaged. Having gone to NYU, Danielle was sure she would be a Manhattanite for life. On the other hand, Tom preferred the less-crowded, tree-lined streets of Brooklyn and was able to convince Danielle to make the leap across the river. Some of their favorite moments have been spending time together at home, cooking and drinking wine, and enjoying all that Brooklyn has to offer.
Tom’s an avid hiker and outdoorsman. The hike he had done in NH the day he met Danielle is known for some of the best views of peak foliage in the Northeast. Having never spent much time outdoors and wanting to impress her new boyfriend, Danielle agreed to do the hike with him for their 1 year anniversary. They got caught in a horrendous storm, complete with 70mph gusts and torrential downpour – for 10 hours. Somehow Danielle made it to the bottom without pushing Tom off a cliff but made it clear “never again.” However, 3 years later, determined to get it right, Tom convinced Danielle to try again for their four year anniversary.
Tom proposed four years to the day that they met, in the same backyard in Williamsburg. Luckily his friend still lived there after all this time! They were leaving for the hiking trip early the next morning, but Tom suggested they go to dinner to celebrate their anniversary anyway. He told Danielle to be ready to leave their apartment by 5:30 for a dinner at a surprise restaurant. After getting out of the car in front of Shakeshack to throw her off, Tom led Danielle around the corner, onto the street of the apartment. He quickly grabbed Danielle’s hand and walked her through the entrance into the backyard. He immediately got down on one knee and asked her to marry him. Their friends, Meg and Tucker, had been waiting in the bushes, taking photos, and were prepared with champagne to celebrate! It was perfect. The celebration continued into the night at Lilia for dinner and drinks!
After 7 months of quarantine in their small apartment, Tom and Danielle planned the getaway to New Hampshire for their anniversary weekend. Danielle thought the proposal may happen that weekend, likely on the infamous hike. However, once they started heading to Williamsburg that night, she started to get suspicious. Still, walking into the same place they met exactly four years ago, and seeing Tom get down on one knee was such an overwhelming surprise.
While Danielle was involved in the ring designing process, seeing the final product blew her away! They were in search of the perfect chubby oval and seeing the final product was more than she ever could have ever dreamt.
Tom and Danielle met and got engaged on October 8th which happens to be a Saturday in 2022, making it the perfect wedding date. They will likely wait until then due to COVID!