I Do!: Christie Schuerlein and Andrew Singer
Christie Schuerlein and Andrew Singer married at Windham Manor in the Catskills on Sept. 3. Credit: Michael Cassara Photography
It’s been said that the pandemic could either make or break a relationship. For Christie Schuerlein and Andrew Singer, they said it “catapulted” them into a serious relationship very quickly.
Schuerlein, 30, a wedding planner, and Singer, 33, an office operations manager, met on the dating app Hinge in January 2020. They had a few weeks of “normal” dating before pandemic restrictions were put in place.
“All the things you would typically do on a date, like going to dinner, seeing a movie, going to concerts and sporting events, we couldn’t do any of that. That all ended,” said Singer.
Instead, the Uniondale couple said they were forced to spend time outdoors, just the two of them — a blessing they cherish to this day.
“We did everything together,” recalled Schuerlein. “We quarantined together and tried to find things to do. We wound up enjoying picnics in the parks, walks on the beach and evening sunsets.”
Added Singer, “It was just me, her and nature.”
Besides building a strong bond during those months in isolation, the couple also determined early on that they had attended the same wedding in 2015. Schuerlein had just one picture from that wedding, and there was Singer in the background. It turned out they had several curious connections, and “it seemed like fate had brought us together,” she said.
The couple got engaged in June 2021 and chose Sept. 3, 2023, as their wedding date. They opted for a two-year engagement because, with lockdown restrictions easing, weddings were on the rise — and Schuerlein said her business needed her attention.
They decided to look beyond Long Island for their venue because Schuerlein’s family had held many weddings across the Island over the years, and they wanted something different. They found it at Windham Manor in the Catskills.
“It was a gorgeous property owned by a Long Island family. It was perfect for our 200 guests,” said Schuerlein.
The grand finale was a honeymoon in Anguilla, which the couple called “the 10 best days of our lives.”
WEDDING VENUE
The couple were married at Windham Manor in upstate Windham.
WINE AND DINE
2Shea Catering catered the reception.
HONEYMOON
The couple spent 10 days in Anguilla.
LET'S DANCE
"Blu" by Jon Bellion (acoustic version).
FAVE RAVES
Five things Schuerlein and Singer love about each other: Listening to music together; laughter; enjoying the sunshine; exploring great local restaurants; and their cats, Blu and Indie.
HOME BASE
Uniondale
'I'm going to try to avoid it' A trip to the emergency room in a Long Island hospital now averages nearly 4 hours, data shows. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.
'I'm going to try to avoid it' A trip to the emergency room in a Long Island hospital now averages nearly 4 hours, data shows. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.
