‘She said yes’: The story of a Bread Furst marriage proposal

While browsing Instagram one day last month, we saw a surprising and thrilling post from Bread Furst: a photo of a man on bended knee, proposing to his soon-to-be fiancée.

A screenshot of Bread Furst’s Instagram page.

There was no doubt as to her answer. The caption: “she said yes.”

On bended knee. (all photos by Aidan Demolli, Benson Park Photography. “We plan on hiring him again for our wedding!” says Rachel.)

The November 9th proposal was also “a complete surprise” for the bride-to-be, Rachel Yu Chen, a piano teacher at Levine Music. The groom-to-be is Technical Sergeant Max Crofton, who plays tuba for the United States Air Force Band’s Ceremonial Brass. They met in Indiana, where they were working toward doctoral degrees in music performance, but their love story is set in DC, and they tell Forest Hills Connection that it began at Bread Furst.

Max Crofton and Rachel Yu Chen

Rachel writes: Bread Furst holds a very special place in our hearts. When we first reconnected after years apart, it was the very first spot we chose to meet. Max had just landed at DCA, duffle bag in hand, and went straight to Bread Furst to wait for me. I still remember him texting to ask my go-to order, and I told him: a caramel latte and a croissant.

That day marked the beginning of our love story. We did a few months of long distance before Max joined the United States Air Force Band Ceremonial Brass as a tuba player here in DC, and every time he visited, we returned to Bread Furst together. Since then, it has truly become “our place.”

Max Crofton showing the engagement ring to Bread Furst staff. (The ring was made by and purchased from Town Jewelers in Cleveland Park. “They were absolutely amazing.”)

It’s more than a bakery to us. It’s a place for comfort, celebration, or just a quiet moment in a busy week. On tough days, I’d stop by for a pastry, and the staff’s kindness always reminded me why I love Washington, DC. Supporting local bakeries and small businesses has always been part of what makes this city feel like home…. All of our friends and family have visited and know just how obsessed we are with this spot.

The proposal was a complete surprise. Max coordinated with Bread Furst, hired a photographer, and arrived early to set everything up. The staff went above and beyond! They welcomed the photographer, helped with the setup, and even gifted us a bottle of champagne. Max ordered my favorite pink cake with “Will you Marry Me?” written on top. It was magical.

We’ve known each other for six years, since our first year at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington (Go Hoosiers!). Our careers later brought us both back to DC, where we reconnected along with all the feelings we had for each other.

Says Max: We have been together for two and a half years officially. 😊

Rachel: When I returned to DC to start my career, I moved back to the same stretch of Connecticut Ave NW where I grew up (my dad was a diplomat for Taiwan when I was a kid) and I had always known I wanted to return here. Max moved to Van Ness shortly afterward to be close by, and we quickly fell in love with the community all over again. Bread Furst became part of our daily rhythm, from morning coffees to spontaneous cake-slice dates, with staff who knew us by name.

DC has been the perfect place for us to build our lives. Max is a tuba player with the United States Air Force Band’s Ceremonial Brass, and I teach piano at Levine Music and Northern Virginia Community College’s Alexandria Campus. Being part of such a vibrant arts community makes this city feel like home.

We’re now in the early stages of planning our wedding, hoping for a summer 2027 celebration in the DC area.