Connect How did your love story begin?

We met Charlotte's first day living in London for grad school, at the Tate Modern. Charles was home visiting his parents for the week while living in Germany. After a lovely lunch, we made plans to meet up and watch a movie, but instead, just talked for six hours before Charles had to run to the airport. After many long phone calls but still "just friends," Charlotte flew to Berlin to see Charles. That day, we walked around the city for 30 miles (!) and talked and talked. The rest is history!

What is your favorite memory you've shared as a couple?

The best days are the lazy weekend ones--talking, napping, reading to each other, eating bread, sipping coffee while watching a rainstorm, swimming in the lake. But some spectacular days stand out--walking 2 miles through an Icelandic blizzard at 4am because we couldn't afford the bus ticket; driving from Maine to Colorado in Charlotte's old Honda Civic; and, of course, when we got engaged on a sunny Tuesday afternoon over a bottle of white wine.

What would you do with $20,000?

Pay for our upcoming wedding, and help others in our community! We're getting married in August of 2026 in my home town of Portland, Maine, alongside our friends and family. We also make a point to help others when we can--Charlotte is a mentor for scholars from diverse backgrounds at UC Santa Barbara, and we're both avid birders and passionate about bird conservation. Transforming our love into tangible acts of kindness would be an incredible honor.