Melodie Batt and Ben Rubin were engaged in Portofino, Italy on July 24, 2006. Melodie is the daughter of Linda and A.J. Batt of Hillsborough, Calif. and the sister of Rochelle Kushner of Wellesley, Mass. She is the granddaughter of Lisa Batt and the late Myer Batt, and the late Lillian and Mark Mendel. Melodie graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology. Later, she graduated magna cum laude from FIDM in San Francisco with a degree in Interior Design. She works in San Francisco for MSA Planning and Design Consultants, specializing in retail design.

Ben Rubin is the son of Lindy and Dr. Abe Rubin of Evanston, Ill., and the brother of Adam Rubin of Los Angeles, Calif., and Rachel DaPuzzo of New York, N.Y. He is the grandson of the late Aaron and Frida Rubin, and the late Jack and Sylvia Greenwall. Ben graduated from The George Washington University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism. He received his MBA from The Peter F. Drucker Graduate School of Management in Claremont, Calif. Currently, he works in San Diego, Calif., as a Regional Marketing Director for The Hartford.

A summer 2007 wedding in Napa is planned. Afterwards the couple will reside in San Diego.