Allison Koscielniak

and

Eric Musselman

Allison Koscielniak and Eric Musselman

we cannot wait to celebrate with you

Our story began in January 2018. We met while Allison was working at The Link Group and living in Downtown Raleigh and Eric was just starting his PhD at Duke. Though our lives had no previous overlap, we soon found that we had a lot in common: love for our families and friends, desire to live life to the fullest with ambitious life goals, appreciation for good coffee and food, and Duke basketball.

We hit it off immediately on our first date at Fullsteam Brewery, and Eric doubled down by introducing Allison to 8-week-old Huxley as a second date. With each visit, our lives integrated further. We split our time together between Raleigh and Durham (and occasionally Chapel Hill), which included lots of walks with Huxley, late working nights, time with family and friends, cooking projects, yoga classes, and eating at local restaurants.

To advance her career, Allison applied to MBA programs across the country. We were delighted when Allison got into Duke’s Fuqua School of Business, which not only prevented a long-distance relationship but also gave Eric the opportunity to experience some of the social aspects too.

While Allison was visiting “The Cove” (Eric’s family’s beloved retreat in the PNW) in July 2021, Eric planned a special road trip for just the two of them. Allison thought Eric just wanted to explore the Olympic Peninsula, but much to her surprise, he popped the question at their very first stop on a beach overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The two-day road trip was the most special time together, exploring beautiful glacier lakes, breath-taking hikes, waterfalls, and lavender fields.

Coming back to reality, the excitement continued as Allison moved to Durham and started school. During our engagement, Eric has successfully submitted five research papers, completed his Thesis Proposal, and worked in Duke basketball’s game day operations, while Allison has interned in New York, led many student initiatives, and traveled the world. The excitement will continue into 2023 with two graduations, our wedding (!!!), a move to a new city, and two new jobs.

Throughout it all, we could not be more thankful to have each of you as a part of our lives. It means the world to us for you to be with us on our big day. We are so excited to celebrate with you!