Bridget Coyne and Aaron Myers met in 2011 at an after-work outing for congressional digital staff. Bridget planned the event and a colleague invited Aaron. The meeting was, of course, strictly professional. Neither Aaron nor Bridget can recall the important legislative topics discussed that evening. But it’s here that Aaron left his first impression on Bridget — showing off his decade-old MetroCard. A true antique.
Capitol Hill has its own geography. The House of Representatives and the Senate are separated by different rules, their own distinct cafeterias, and a few city blocks. Bridget worked on the House side of Capitol Hill. Aaron was on the Senate side.
Weeks passed. Bridget took on a new role, moving to the Senate. She and Aaron were both focused on work — digital communications and social media. They were soon passing each other in the hall. And they were attending the same meetings. Notably, the two sat down in February 2012 to make sense of an important new social media platform.
And that’s where the real story begins.
Bridget hunkered down for an important project. Her work required increasingly frequent visits to Aaron’s office. They were talking and joking together more often. But they were always focused on the important work of the United States Senate.
Flash forward a few weeks. A friend told Bridget about a free concert at the Library of Congress featuring the Carolina Chocolate Drops. Feeling bold — and a budding crush — Bridget told Aaron she was going to the show. A seasoned music fan, Aaron was impressed. It was a sold-out concert — and Aaron had reserved his own tickets during the few minutes they were available online. He was surprised that Bridget knew the band and that she also managed to snag seats. But… that wasn’t the case. Bridget and her roommates failed to notice that tickets for the free show were distributed months in advance. That afternoon, Bridget told Aaron that she wouldn’t make it to the show.
Sad to miss Bridget, Aaron went to the Chocolate Drops concert with a friend — as planned.
Bridget enjoyed the day’s unseasonably warm weather by playing bocce with her roommates. When the show ended, Aaron emailed Bridget. And then the two met at Boxcar, a bar near Eastern Market. It was an accidental first date.
A loving relationship soon blossomed full of music, museum explorations, hiking, travels and holiday seasons together. Then, on the third anniversary weekend of that first date, Aaron surprised Bridget at the international arrivals terminal of Dulles Airport and sweetly asked if she would marry him.
3 years, 2 days. That’s the time from my first date with @aaronemyers to our engagement. Love this guy. 👫💞💍 pic.twitter.com/6Q8ZePbloE
— Bridget Coyne (@bcoyne) February 21, 2015
BEHIND THE SCENES: @bcoyne socially mediating our engagement news from Announcement HQ, @BDTavern. #TwitterFirst pic.twitter.com/nbVBT6D9Gc
— Aaron Myers (@aaronemyers) February 21, 2015