How it all started

Tzvia & Matt met in 2017 at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, where Matt studied cancer biology and Tzvia studied the brain only a few steps away. They noticed each other on campus, but Matt was intimidated by her edgy fashion sense and Tzvia was scared to talk to the cool guy on campus who seemed to have loads of friends. Finally, they both mustered up the courage to introduce themselves at a mutual friend’s party and bonded over their love for music, art and NYC culture.

For a year they hung out as friends, going to concerts, trying new foods, and attending art shows. When they went to see Yayoi Kusama’s new art exhibit in the dead of winter, Matt offered to hold their spot in line in the freezing cold for over an hour so as not to expose Tzvia to the elements and allow her to stay warm in a nearby coffee shop. Even at this point, it seemed that everyone except Tzvia knew that Matt liked her much more than a friend...

Tzvia, of course, eventually figured it out. They started dating in April 2018 and have since traversed many ups and downs of life together - defending their PhDs, completing Tzvia’s medical degree (because one doctorate wasn’t enough), and surviving long distance for a year during the COVID pandemic. Together, they’ve ventured from New York to St. Louis in the Midwest and eventually found their way back to the East Coast where they now call Philadelphia home. Along the way, they became dog parents to their two rescues Kimchi & Meeko.

In December 2024, Matt planned an epic trip to Maui, Hawaii. Tzvia, oblivious as ever, became annoyed with how “weird” Matt was acting and made it impossible for Matt to execute his plan to propose on the beach during sunset. Matt managed to get down on one knee anyway and the rest is history!

Matt and Tzvia are so excited to share their wedding with the people they love the most and can’t wait to celebrate!!