Luke and Tess met in the fall of 2019 at the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University, just as the new academic year was beginning. Luke had arrived from Ohio to begin the first year of his graduate degree in vocal performance, and Tess was starting her second year in vocal performance and pedagogy. Their first conversation happened even before classes began, during Peabody’s diagnostic auditions—scheduled by studio—when they both found themselves outside the stage door as students of Dr. Stanley Cornett. Luke still remembers noticing Tess by the table and thinking, immediately, that she was gorgeous. Tess remembers something else: seeing a nervous first-year student and choosing, without hesitation, to welcome him. In that moment, the school began to feel like home.

That warmth only deepened as the semester unfolded. In studio class, Tess and Luke frequently sang, and after each performance they found themselves drawn to one another—offering encouragement and praise regardless of how either felt their performance had gone. Tess loved hearing Luke sing; she was drawn to his warmth and passion. Together, they had a way of making each other feel steady in a room full of exceptional singers, like they truly belonged there. Luke vividly remembers hearing Tess sing for the first time and being completely stunned. In a conservatory filled with remarkable voices, she was, the best singer he had ever heard—brilliant, fearless, and unmistakably herself. What began as admiration slowly became something deeper: a shared sense of comfort and certainty that neither of them could fully explain.

That fall, their paths continued to intertwine even when they weren’t cast together. Luke performed in Kirk Mechem’s new operatic adaptation of Pride & Prejudice, while Tess sang in a program of Russian opera scenes. They were drawn together once again when Luke was assigned to run supertitles, which allowed him to watch Tess in action—an unforgettable Tatyana in Eugene Onegin. During a break, Tess made a point to find Luke and spend time together, once again showing the kindness and warmth that had drawn him to her from the very beginning. They both knew early on that the circumstances of their lives meant their connection could only remain a friendship. And so, they each made a quiet decision: to be friends—because being close in any capacity mattered more than anything else.

Then came spring and Puccini’s La rondine. Fate, or something like it, placed them as romantic opposites—Prunier and Lisette—in a double-cast production that could have easily separated them. By then, their friendship was growing quickly, and they were determined to be in the same cast. They volunteered to sing at the same time, placed themselves in the same rehearsal groups, and, without ever saying it out loud, moved through the process like two people drawn together by something undeniable. The chemistry was unmistakable.

That season was filled with moments that lingered. Tess remembers waiting down the hall while Luke auditioned for a summer opera program on the Amalfi Coast in Italy—down to exactly what he wore. Their days were filled with rehearsals, shared meals during breaks, and showing up for one another’s performances. They found each other in the middle of an opera flash mob meant to advertise La rondine, laughing and singing together in public. Tess’s mom came to see the flash mob and afterward asked, “Which one is Luke?” Tess also met Luke’s dog, Nico, who took to her instantly—something she still jokes about today: “Nico, did you know I was going to be your mommy in Baltimore?” He probably did.

Then, in the final rehearsal week, everything changed. La rondine was canceled due to COVID—devastation delivered in a single night. Luke returned to Ohio to finish his degree virtually, and the distance made one thing clear: their bond wasn’t dependent on proximity. Tess remembers watching Luke leave with a knot in her stomach, not wanting him to go. Luke remembers calling his parents before he left and telling them about this incredible woman he adored and how deeply important she had already become to him. They FaceTimed every night, watching movies together and laughing as they struggled to keep them synced when ads disrupted the timing. Through uncertainty, isolation, and a world suddenly on pause, their friendship became a constant.

When circumstances finally aligned, it became clear that what they had built—slowly, honestly, and without force—was love. They began dating on April 1st, 2020 (though Tess insisted their anniversary be celebrated on April 2nd, as she refused to tie their story to April Fools’ Day, knowing Luke would inevitably use it as an excuse to play a joke on her). From the beginning, Tess showed remarkable patience and grace—especially when Luke, in a burst of impulsive creativity, suggested they write letters to each other instead of communicating like normal people. She humored him anyway. That was Tess: steady, thoughtful, and always willing to meet him where he was.

Soon after, Tess met Luke’s family on a trip to Maine to visit his sister Jocelyn and her husband Justin—an unforgettable introduction. She fit in immediately. At one point, Jocelyn pulled Luke aside and told him something he would never forget: Tess was a really good one, and he deserved happiness. They both did. Those words stayed with him, especially as life moved forward in ways neither of them could have predicted.

In 2022, they moved into an apartment in Fairfax with Nico, and their beloved cat, Vladimir. Tess already had strong roots in the area, and Luke had just graduated, so him relocating made sense. The transition proved more difficult than expected, but they faced it together. During this time, they grew—as individuals, as partners, and in their careers. A fortunate advancement in Luke’s career helped set the stage for the next phase of their lives together.

On February 4th, 2024, Luke brought Tess back to Baltimore—to the Inner Harbor—to relive one of their most memorable days. They went to the National Aquarium, attempted (unsuccessfully) to visit the Barnes & Noble that had since closed, and then walked along the harbor to celebrate Luke’s recent promotion. Tess, always the energetic one, pulled ahead as they rounded the back side of the water, and Luke had to find a way to slow her down. He asked her to stop so he could catch his breath. (“From walking?” she asked.) As Tess began to lovingly remind him of the importance of taking care of his health—if not for himself, then for her—Luke reached into his pocket, pulled out a ring, and proposed. Tess couldn’t believe she hadn’t caught on earlier, as she usually sees right through his tricks. As the perfect finishing touch, Luke had included Tess’s entire family in the moment: her parents were on FaceTime, her younger sister had helped him pick out the ring, and her middle sister disguised herself in men’s clothing to secretly photograph the proposal.

Now they live in a condo in Alexandria, Virginia, with Nico, and their cat, Yosemite—building a life grounded in friendship, music, resilience, and the kind of love that chooses patience and honesty. They are overjoyed to be getting married on April 18th, and even more excited to celebrate with the friends and family who have walked alongside them every step of the way.