we're finally having a party!

Picture it - Riverwest, 2008. Allee works at Shiraz Persian Grill on Oakland Avenue on Milwaukee's East Side. She hops off the MCTS bus, Route 22, after an evening shift and starts walking down Center Street. Seeing her roommate Tina's boyfriend, Andy, through the window at Fuel Cafe, she decides to stop in and say hi. Andy introduces her to his friend, Tom, and the chemistry starts there. Over the next few months, Tom and Allee both start asking questions about each other through Andy and Tina. Tom makes a mixtape of ska music for Allee. They bump into each other's volunteer shifts at the Riverwest Co-op. Both are kind of shy and awkward, and it never really works out. Tom ends up moving to Delafield. Then, in 2015, Tom moves back to Riverwest just as Allee finds herself becoming single again. They run into each other at the Public House tavern during Trivia Night, and Allee awkwardly spills her cider all over the bar trying to keep her cool. They start commenting on each other's social media posts. Then they start making a point to make regular appearances on Monday Karaoke nights. Allee's rendition of Heart of Glass by Blondie seals the deal. Love is in the air, and the rest is history! They share their first kiss outside of Klinger's on Locust Street. After years of dating, Tom politely asks Mark and Laura for permission to propose to Allee. Laura gives him her mother Dolores' engagement ring. Whilst hiking the Grand Canyon together on vacation, it starts to rain and hail. Tom and Allee duck under a cliff overhang for shelter (and also to avoid annoying hikers trailing a little too closely). Suddenly, the clouds separate and the sun comes out. A rainbow appears. Tom gets down on one knee and asks for Allee's hand, to which she immediately bursts out in tears and says yes! They start making plans to tie the knot after Allee finishes her master's degree in December 2019. Then, we all know what happened in early 2020. Allee and Tom decide to make it official in a quiet ceremony in Andy and Jill's backyard, followed by a very small outdoor gathering with their immediate family and Dora, Allee's maid of honor. Allee officially becomes "Mom 2" to Tom's wonderful son, Noel. Now, we invite you to celebrate with us together! We can't wait to see you 💖

Allee and Tina’s friendship is truly legendary, you might even say “everyone knows”. From countless sleepovers and after school sculpt ing & Beatles sessions, to prom dates, to first roomies these two have shared many of life’s milestones and important “firsts” together. In 2008, Allee and Tina were living together in Riverwest in both of their first-ever apartments - a plan that had been hatched in 3rd grade - and their plan-hatching days were far from over. Tina met her son’s father, Andy, at UWM and promptly met all of his closest friends - including his roommate, Tom. After a chance meeting it was obvious that Allee and Tom had chemistry - and how great would it be for two roommates who do everything together to date boys who were also roommates? So the planning and seed-planting began but unfortunately it just wasn't in the cards to seal the deal at that time. Years later, Tina received and unexpected phone call from which Allee started with “So… guess who I’m dating…” and you can guess the rest. Nothing has surprised Tina both more and less simultaneously. Their love has been years in the making.