Written by the one, the only, father of the groom, Charles B. Gordon!!!

Our Story ...

… began with a match on Hinge. It was late November, 2020, a week before the Thanksgiving holiday. The year had been filled with dodging COVID and being unable to meet in person, not the easiest environment to find a date. Nancy sought an online opinion of her potential Hinge date:

What do you think of pineapple on pizza? Eric responded with a resounding “yes,” and the match was confirmed … but the date didn’t start on such a positive note.

They agreed to meet at The Smith Restaurant in New York City, but Eric went to the one on the Lower East Side, and Nancy headed to the Midtown East location. Was the budding romance doomed at the start?

About 10 minutes in, they discovered they were in the wrong location. Should he go uptown? Should she go downtown? Eric offered to come up to midtown, but without a pause, Nancy was in a taxi, arriving 40 minutes late.

Nancy soon arrived and Eric sat with an air pod for about half the date - he had forgotten it was there and Nancy, rather than asking about it, decided to wait and see. They later went to sit in the nearby park after dinner and some rats ran by … some uninvited guests joined the date. Nancy, deadly afraid of rats, wanted to put her feet up … but it was only the first date!

The date ended … the future unknown … and Eric offered to get her an Uber home … but Nancy, wise as she is, declined because she didn’t want Eric to know her address! A bit of an overreach for just a first date!

The second date went better, but Eric took Nancy to a random place in Central Park. They had a great conversation and walked around Central Park … in the dark with no one around and Nancy thinking. “Is this a ‘Law & Order’ story in the making?”

For the third date, Eric invited Nancy over to his place, where they played Settlers of Catan. Quite the romantic she thought?!? Nancy soon came to learn this would be the first of hundreds of times losing to Eric at Settlers of Catan. Thankfully, he didn’t also make her play Monopoly.

They persisted, and love bloomed.

Over the years they’ve attended more weddings than they can count. Eric has worked hard at mastering Spanish. Nancy has worked hard at understanding how Eric eats a cucumber.

They’ve traveled near and far – including trips throughout Europe (Spain, France, Italy, Croatia, Greece, Turkey). They’ve been to Mexico, where Eric caught Montezuma’s Revenge … while his command of Spanish has improved dramatically, his stomach reminds him that he’s not really Mexican! They’ve gone skydiving over Long Island, became godparents to the adorable baby Jackie (see wedding party). There was whitewater rafting, ax throwing, shooting ranges, goat yoga and batting cages. They both like the active, sports-focused journey.

Eric worked one day in Nancy’s parents’ flower shop. Given that everyone speaks Spanish, his work that Mother’s Day was quite focused on manageable tasks, and Nancy’s sister Jackie (see wedding party) reported that they gave him the jobs they’d give a seven-year-old. Eric wondered when everyone was taking a lunch break. Not on one of the busy days of the year!

Eric’s since converted Nancy to become a Red Sox fan, where she’s become infatuated with first baseman Triston Casas. (No fears of competition; the one time Nancy waited to see him come into Fenway before a game, he blew by her without acknowledgement.) Love obviously trumps the Yankees, considering Nancy grew up in the Bronx, not far from Yankee Stadium.

The next challenge is for Nancy to convert Eric to be a

fan of the Mexican National Soccer Team and for Eric to welcome Nancy into Steelers Nation … this is a work in progress as she has to master twirling the Terrible Towel.

Then in August of 2023, they took the first plunge since matching in 2020, moving in together in Jersey City.

2024 featured the proposal … where Eric hid in the cooler at the flower shop, waiting for her to come find a few long stems but instead discover him waiting on one knee with a diamond in hand. Nancy’s sister, Jackie, reported this to be the only time she ever saw Eric nervous, particularly as Nancy was delayed because she forgot something at home before getting to the store. Eric had previously asked Nancy’s parents for permission to marry their daughter (in spanish) – quite the traditionalist.

And, in the fall of 2025, they became parents … to Simon, a young Husky with the bluest of eyes. Nancy continues to love her family’s dog, Cepillo.

So we fast forward to the present day. They both spend tons of hours working hard at their respective employers. They’re a bit more home-bodied at this stage. Lots of backgammon, scary movies, and more Settlers of Catan.

The result of our first cooking date below!