What started as an effortless connection found its forever inside their dream home.
Photograby by Zach Noka
The Meet Cute: From the very beginning, medicine and helping others have always been at the center of Demetria and JP’s lives. After earning their undergraduate degrees at the University of Rhode Island, JP pursued a doctorate in dentistry in Portland, Maine, while Demetria worked for her Doctor of Pharmacy degree in Connecticut. After years of moving around, including a short time living in California, Demetria realized her heart belonged in Rhode Island. She matched with a residency program at South County Hospital, but when the pandemic hit, life grew complicated and dating harder to navigate.
One crisp fall evening, while scrolling through social media and Hinge, she came across JP’s profile. She swiped and it was an instant match! As they began texting, they quickly discovered they shared many mutual friends, making things feel less daunting. Not long after, Demetria was at Clark Cooke House in Newport with her best friend. She’d mentioned JP and confessed she was nervous to meet him. “It felt a little like a blind date” says Demetria. As the sun set over the harbor, painting the sky in soft pink hues, her best friend turned to her and asked, “What if he’s your soulmate?”
The following Monday, Demetria and JP met for a glass of wine at the Coast Guard House. They sat outside, talking for hours, without a single awkward pause. “It felt like we had known each other forever,” says Demetria. From that night on they became each other’s kindred souls. “It’s funny how life works,” she says. “You often meet your person, your soulmate, in the moment you least expect it.”
The Engagement: Ever since they’ve known each other, Demetria and JP knew South Kingstown was where they wanted to build their forever home. After years of searching, they finally found their dream house. On the night they closed, they were floating with excitement, the kind you feel buzzing in your chest. “This was the moment we had been dreaming of for so long,” says Demetria.
Then, in what is now their living room — the heart of their home and a room that will forever hold the sweetest memory — JP got down on one knee and asked her to marry him. Everything faded with joy and adrenaline, but one thing remains crystal clear: how loudly Demetria screamed yes.
