Erich added a special surprise to his and Margaret Mary’s sunset picnic tradition on Block Island.
Photography by Brad Smith Photography| @smithbrad
The Meet Cute: Margaret Mary and Erich met the modern way — on Hinge — but their story was anything but ordinary. While in Indiana during the pandemic, the two grew closer together despite restaurants being closed and travel restrictions. “Somehow, even in isolation, we built something real, steady and full of laughter,” says Margaret Mary.
Life continued taking them in different directions years later. Even when Margaret Mary moved to Pennsylvania, and Erich moved to Kansas, they kept finding a way back to each other. Erich’s family, who are native New Englanders, loved visiting Block Island — a place that soon became their escape in the summer months.
The Proposal: On June 6, Erich asked Margaret Mary to marry him on Cooneymus Beach, Block Island — the very place that always brought the two back to each other.
On a quiet evening on Block Island, with the soft waves as their soundtrack, they went to the the aforementioned beach, a.k.a. one of their favorite places. He told her they were going to do a sunset appetizer picnic, a tradition they started since they began visiting the island together. As she wandered the shoreline, searching for the perfect spot to set up, she turned around to find Erich down on one knee.
Photographer Brad Smith captured every moment and detail: the mist, the surprise and the joy. The two celebrated with dinner at the Spring House Hotel, then spent the rest of the weekend soaking in every second of their new chapter… and searching for orbs, of course.
