Our Story

Like any modern romance, ours started with a swipe right. But our true beginning happened over drinks at the 1803 restaurant in Tribeca. If you ask Rafael, he thought Debbie was completely bored; if you ask Debbie, she was just running on fumes after an exhausting overnight shift.

The real magic happened when the date "ended." As Rafael closed the tab, we realized we were both heading to Queens on the exact same subway line; Rafael to meet friends at the Queens Night Market, and Debbie to a Burna Boy concert at Citi Field. During that fortuitous train ride, the exhaustion wore off, and Rafael’s charm took over. Even though Rafael is supposedly a Mets fan and Debbie bleeds Yankee blue, true chivalry wasn't dead. Rafael waited with Debbie by the historic Shea Stadium Home Run Apple until her friends arrived, and right then, Debbie knew he was a true gentleman.

Before long, a beautiful routine blossomed. Debbie would scooter over to Rafael’s apartment on her lunch breaks, greeted by the smell of homemade burgers or comforting Puerto Rican dishes. Being so deeply taken care of was the moment Debbie knew Rafael was the one. And when Rafael fell ill, Debbie was always there with kombucha and bone broth care packages, proving love is just as much about taking care of each other.

We brought things full circle in Boston, the city where we both attended college at the exact same time, but never crossed paths. Rafael organized a nostalgic scavenger hunt through our old stomping grounds. Clues led Debbie through BU and the Citgo sign. The final stop led us to the Charles River by MIT, where Rafael asked the ultimate question, and Debbie said yes. We are so excited to celebrate our wedding day with the people we love most!