Thanks to Erik Martino, GWSB BA ’12, and Katie Ogden, GWSPH BS ’13, for sharing their story!
On October 15, 2010, Erik Martino shared some interesting news with his roommate. Apparently, he had met his future wife the night before at The Lux Lounge, a popular GW hangout. Little did he know, Katie Ogden also knew right away that Erik was her prince.
“That night, we shared our first dance, first kiss—and even our first pizza,” Katie says. “[At GW], late nights out almost always ended with a trip to the local pizza parlor on campus. And since I paid for the pizza, Erik returned the favor with a dinner date at a romantic waterfront restaurant in Georgetown.”
Pretty impressive for a ‘prince’ who was still in college.
From then on, Katie and Erik spent most of their time together. “Our relationship was rooted in more than just romance,” says Katie. “We had compatible interests, ambition, and a sense of adventure. Erik opened me up to the world of sports, and I taught Erik how to snowboard. Over the years, we have also developed new hobbies as a couple, including wine—tastings and brewery tours, health and fitness, and pretending to be art aficionados.”
“Early on in our relationship, Katie and I had a fun little habit of picking up sandwiches from the GW Deli or Potbelly’s and eating lunch together on the steps of Dakota,” recalls Erik. “We would also spend many late nights helping each other study for tests. She helped me with accounting and I helped her with public health. One particularly memorable night was when I discovered what causes food poisoning—just a couple of weeks after I actually had it!”
In November of last year, Erik proposed to Katie on a trip to Maui. The sun was setting over the ocean, and Katie couldn’t hold back her tears of joy.
“I knew that I wanted to propose when we were in Maui, but I didn’t know when and where,” says Erik. “The concierge suggested I take her out for drinks at a restaurant named Merriman’s, a couple of miles down the road. Once we got to Merriman’s, we sat on a patio overlooking some cliffs and the ocean. After we had been there for a while, I told Katie I wanted to take her picture. As she turned to put her purse down, I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me. Thankfully, she said ‘yes’!”
Katie and Erik look forward to celebrating with family and friends when they formally tie the knot at The Inn at the Colonnade in Baltimore, Maryland, in June. “Now that the wedding date and most of the arrangements are set,” says Katie, “we are counting down the days until we get to share our first dance as Mr. and Mrs. Erik Martino.” —Mary Follin
