James Garcia had the perfect plan to ask Michelle Rooney to marry him. It would be in Brooklyn, where the couple lives, and afterward there would be a party with friends and family to celebrate. Then the pandemic began. “The week leading up to the big moment, NYC shut down completely due to Covid,” he said.

Undeterred, James came up with another perfect plan. “Michelle grew up coming to the Island her entire life,” he said. “She had been telling me how amazing the sunrise is at Edgartown Lighthouse, so I planned for us to go watch it.” To make it all the more special, he asked photographer Randi Baird to capture the moment. Just before daybreak, they made their way to the beach, popped a bottle of champagne, listened to some of their favorite songs, and watched the sun rise. Afterward, “We went for a walk from the beach over to the lighthouse where I got down on one knee and finally did it!” The couple plans to get married in Chilmark in October 2022.