How We Met:

Like all modern Jewish fairy-tales, our story began on JDate. On a Thursday evening in late April 2010, Melissa, who had recently moved to Baltimore for grad school, was browsing JDate when the screen name “buffet” appeared above a picture of a handsome Owings Mills native. And no, that’s not buffet as in Jimmy Buffet, that’s buffet as in Melissa’s food paradise. What Evan, who swore he was taking a break from dating was doing on JDate, no one will never know, but fate took its course and he had her at buffet…

For the next two days Melissa and Evan texted constantly and spoke on the phone, bonding and smiling their way through the weekend.

The First Date:

That Sunday, they went on their first date for sushi. Evan recalls Melissa’s intensity and care “interviewing” him that first night, interrogating him on his career, refreshingly, wanting to learn all about him. If only Evan knew that would be the last time he’d be able to get an uninterrupted word in! Melissa remembers Evan getting an umbrella for her so she could walk from the restaurant to the car without getting wet — the first sign of his chivalry. At the end of the night, Evan said, “I don’t normally kiss on the first date (SURRRRE), but…” and he went in for the kiss.

Dating:

In one of their next few dates, Melissa asked Evan to help chaperon a trip to Camden Yards for the youth group she was managing. This was nothing new to Evan as he used to be a BBYO adviser (this made Melissa swoon even more). Being the consummate gentleman, he showed up with an Oriole’s t-shirt and hat for Melissa — that day Melissa fell in love with both baseball and Evan. Camden Yards became a very special place for the couple, attending as many as 15 games a season.

Over the following months (that quickly turned into years) Melissa and Evan shared their passion for exploring (3 countries, 13 states and counting) and the festival scene, visiting nearly every brewery and winery on the eastern seaboard. Evan, trying to show Melissa the best of her new city, grew to appreciate his hometown through Melissa’s eyes. Learning and growing together, Evan showed Melissa how to loosen up and appreciate the fun in life, and Melissa showed Evan how to let someone else in; truly they complete each other.

The Proposal:

On January 17, 2015 Evan proposed to Melissa at the top of the Bromo Seltzer Arts tower in Baltimore. He persuaded her to visit the local tourist spot by convincing her she should bring her friends who were in town, to see the tower’s artist studios and one of a kind, bird’s eye view of the city.

Evan also told Melissa he had a surprise birthday present waiting for her in one of their favorite artists’ studios housed in the tower. When the couple arrived to the studio, a puzzle (picturing the tower) was waiting. The artist told Melissa that if she wanted to see a completed version of the puzzle they had to go to the top of the tower, but only two at a time. At that point, Melissa’s suspicion set in because she had been to the top of the tower with a large tour group. Excitedly, they rode the elevator and when they arrived to the top, Melissa was disappointed when she only saw a completed puzzle and no proposal scene. It wasn’t until moments later she realized the picture puzzle contained the words “Will you marry me?” Evan then got down on one knee and proposed with a brilliant diamond ring.

The engagement was followed by a surprise party that Evan had planned, including Melissa’s friends and family from New York and New Jersey. “It was the most magical day of my life,” said Melissa.

Thank you to JDate for bringing together soul mates; a newcomer to a big city and a guy who swore he was taking a break from the dating scene. JDate helped me to acclimate myself to my new hometown and to find a new home with the love of my life.

Melissa and Evan
Baltimore, Maryland

Found love on JDate? Tell us about it!