Believe it or not, Chris and Tara did not meet on a dating app! They first crossed paths at a small house party in the Spring of 2021, and quickly became close friends.

They bonded over the course of a year, finding that they had a lot in common... especially their shared sense of humor, appreciation for family, and interests (including but not limited to every true crime documentary on Netflix).

Each time Chris and Tara found themselves in the same room together, they gravitated towards each other talking about anything and everything.

After a year of looking for excuses to run into each other, Tara and Chris finally went on their first date. And in true pandemic fashion - it was virtual.

Hours before they were scheduled to meet up, Chris tested positive for Covid-19. And so his carefully curated plans shifted from a cocktail bar experience to a sweat-pant-clad, couch-to-couch, 5-hour Facetime date. It was the best and the last first date ever.

Things moved quickly from there. Chris and Tara realized right away that their friendship would translate well to a great relationship. They enjoyed meeting each other's friends and families, meeting up for weekly "date nights" between work and graduate classes, and then eventually caring for their new puppy Ash.

Fast forward to now, Chris, Tara and Ash are settling into their new home in Fairfax, VA, and are enjoying living together as a family for the first time. They love spending their days together cooking new meals, playing outside with Ash, exploring local wineries, breweries and cocktail bars, and playing board games (Code Names Duet is our favorite, if you haven't played yet)!

We are thankful for the opportunity to get married surrounded by the people we love most, and are looking forward to starting the next chapter of our lives together in October as Mr. And Mrs. Dickerson!