As told by Abbey:

I met Evan at Village Critter Outfitter. He had been a customer getting things for his cats. His dad had also been a customer.

It was Spring in April 2008. I was getting ready for my trip to New Zealand, and one of my co workers at the time said, "That's great that you have New Zealand to get ready for, but your going to need a project when you get back." So that same afternoon in walks Evan and he has a conversation with me and says, "We totally went to high school together," and I was like, "ya." We talked. He asked me what's up and I said I was working and living with my parents. I asked him what he's been doing he said he was going to concerts. I was like, "I've never been to a concert" and he said, "Really? We'll have to go sometime." We exchange emails. He said, "Well, if you want to do something, let me know." I emailed him that night and asked him if he wanted to go a movie, so on Sunday April 6 we went to see 21 in New Canaan, then we went to Starbucks and grabbed a coffee and walked downtown and talked. Then we got to Mobil and I looked at my watch and it showed the time as almost 7:30 and I was like, "I have to go I have to go do the chickens." That's when he learned that my parents lived on a farm. We were friends for a long time. He came over for Sunday dinners with my family. Helped me do farm chores. We went to concerts together, went to movies together, bowling, etc.

We eventually traveled together. The first big trip was to my brother James' wedding in Oklahoma City. Then we went to Vermont together and saw Robert Frost's Home and we drove up Mt. Equinox. We also went to Maine together and Mystic, CT. For my 30th birthday he took me the Ocean House, fantastic.

One of my most amazing experiences with Evan was when we got to go to the Emmy Awards in California. We got all dressed up. I got my hair and make up done. We got to walk down the Red Carpet! It was so cool. We felt like movie stars.

In 2012 Evan decided that we should get a place together. I was a little nervous, but I did it anyway.

In 2013 we adopted 2 cats from R.O.A.R. in Ridgefield. Ricky and Robby.


The Proposal,

October 16, 2016

It was a Sunday, the last day of the Supermoon. My best friend Adina, asked me if I wanted to go get a manicure, I said sure so we met in town. Evan had come by earlier in the day to help take any boxes from my parents house, because we were moving out of Homestead Farm after 34 years. I met Adina in town and she seemed really happy for me and was telling me that she loves me and being overly friendly. I was like, "What is going on?" She said, "I love you." We talked about marriage. I was a little suspicious about what was going to happen. Evan was going to come back later that day to help me pack my things up and put them in boxes. I called him after I was done with the manicure and he said he's showered and fed the cats, I was really surprised because it was before 5pm and he already had done everything. He said over the phone maybe he would come over and finish helping me and then he said he wanted to see the moon and then maybe go for dinner. So I got home was finishing doing things upstairs. He came over we worked until it go dark, then he said let's go outside and look at the moon. So we went outside by the greenhouse it saw the moon with the reservoir. It was a bit cloudy. It was hard to see the orange moon at first. That didn't stop Evan. He talked about how I have some great memories there and that he also has had some awesome memories as well. He told me that the best one was me. That he wants to be with me.

He said, "I'm about to do the cliche thing," and then he got on his knee and took out a box and said, "Will you marry me"? I was tearing up as you could imagine, so happy finally. I said yes!

He put the ring on my finger. We kissed. We walked further down to the gardens to see if we could see the moon better. I remember the grass being wet. Then we walked up to the house and I remember calling my mother to tell her that guess what Evan proposed she was so happy. Then both my parents came home. My dad shook Evan's hand.

Then we went in the family room, then we called my brothers, and Adina and Evan's mom. Then we drove over to Evan's Dad's house and told him and Spencer. Then we went to Orem's Diner in Wilton, CT. We had breakfast for dinner! Then we got home and there was flowers and champagne. Great night to start the next chapter to a wonderful life together!

As told by Evan:

I remember walking into Village Critter Outfitter and seeing this beautiful girl. She looked so familiar, but for a long time I couldn't figure out why. But one evening, April 3, 2008 to be exact, I realized why--we went to high school together!

The next day, April 4, I went to VCO and to pick something up for my cat, but honestly that was really just an excuse to actually speak with Abbey. When she was ringing up the transaction I said, a bit nervously, "We totally went to high school together, didn't we?" We talked a bit in the store and she mentioned she'd never been to a concert, which I was very into back in those days, and I suggested we should go to one sometime. Eventually, with an increasingly long line of customers behind me I wrote down my email and phone number for her and asked her to call or email if she'd like to get together sometime. Lucky for me she sent an email that night suggesting we see a movie! We decided to see "21" at the New Canaan Playhouse and that became our first date on April 6, 2008.

After the movie we walked around town, grabbed coffee at Starbucks and talked for a while. I remember it was getting a bit late in the day and Abbey mentioned that she had to take care of the chickens at home, which I thought was awesome. I had no idea anyone had chickens in New Canaan, let alone a full-on farm! Eventually I even got to help with the chickens and horses and we spent a lot of great time together doing our part to take care of all the animals.

I vividly remember standing in the dining room at my dad's house when Abbey called me and asked if I'd like to go as her date to her brother's wedding in Oklahoma. That was our first trip together, albeit with the rest of her family. It was a great trip and I got to know her family better and we went on a fair number of other trips together, although it was just the two of us on those. We've been to Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island, Virginia, and even a long weekend in Mystic, CT.

It was that trip to Mystic that lead us to two very important things. The first was an antique store with an incredible assortment of Christmas-related items, including a mechanical Santa which we just managed to fit into the back seat of the car we were driving. But the second thing was even better. We drove over the state line into Rhode Island and we rounded a corner in Watch Hill only to see the most amazing place: The Ocean House. It was like something out of the Great Gatsby. We went there for Abbey's 30th birthday and I even managed to keep the destination a secret until we got there! It was one of the best weekends of my life, right up there with when we went to the Primetime Emmy Awards in 2012 and walked the red carpet with all the stars!

We moved in together in 2012 and I can't imagine my life without her. I love her and I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with her! We adopted two cats, Ricky and Robby, the two cat pack.

I think Abbey tells the story of the proposal better than I do, but I will say that as I was helping her pack and move boxes to her car I think she was onto me. Something told me she knew what was going to happen that evening, but I was okay with that. I made sure there were flowers and champagne waiting for us at the condo (I guess I was pretty confident she'd say yes).

But I'll never forget that moment when I got down on one knee and said, "Abbey Elizabeth Schettino, will you marry me?" And I will never forget how happy I was when she said yes!