It all started when an Ithaca College student met an up-and-coming brewer at Bandwagon Brewery, who happened to make her favorite local beer - Raspberry Jalapeno Ale. Lars and Anna were introduced by our dear friend, Brian Rettger, and would often cross paths in town. Lars recalls admiring Anna as she walked past the brewery to go to her favorite yoga studio around the corner. Fast forward quite a few years - Anna and Lars both landed back in Ithaca and found themselves thrown into the wild world of online dating. After deleting Tinder for the millionth time, Anna downloaded it again for what she vowed would be her last time - and she was right! Lars's profile appeared and Anna immediately reached out to Brian to get his take. Brian approved, Anna swiped right and Lars messaged immediately. They had their first date at a local haunt, The Rhine House, where they talked and laughed until they looked around and realized the bar had closed. It was almost 2 a.m. on a Wednesday. Lars swept Anna off her feet pretty quickly - and quite literally, carrying her over a mile to safety after Anna broke her leg on a trail run. He impressed her with his enthusiasm for any project, his glorious smile, and his unbelievably kind heart. He made her bouquets of wildflowers, took her on adventurous dates, and fueled her passion for gardening, cooking, and the outdoors. Although Lars claimed he wasn’t looking for anything serious, he knew that he had found something special with Anna. Lars did his best to spend as much time with Anna while still trying to play it cool. However, the jig was up when he invited Anna to Easter with his entire family after dating for only three weeks. From then on, Lars fell in love with Anna’s delicious cooking, propensity for adventure, and love for all living things. On February 26, 2022, Lars asked Anna to come over to his Mom's house to help "move a few things." It had just snowed and it was below freezing, but reluctantly Anna agreed. When she arrived, a path lit with 18 handmade Swedish torches (Google them - they're so cool!) was waiting for her. At the end of the path, her lovely Larsy and a giant bonfire were waiting with champagne and a ring. She, of course, said yes. Lars and Anna, unfortunately, share a common bond in the loss of their fathers, Frank Mudrak and Stuart Kimble. Without these two men, they would not be able to write this story. They cannot express how much they wish their dads were here to watch their relationship grow and their life together begin. They are so loved. Thank you to the moms, Louise and Joan, families, and friends for all of the love and support. We cannot wait to celebrate with you in our beloved Ithaca!