We’re tying the knot!

While at a History of Irish Whiskey class at the Irish Heritage Center with our dads, we eyed each other from across the room. We never spoke that day, but a mutual friend put two and two together and showed Brendan Claire’s picture, asking if he’d seen Claire there. The short answer: “Yes! Is she single?”Then he sent Brendan’s photo to Claire, and she said she had absolutely seen Brendan. They went on the best first date they’d ever had and knew almost instantly that this was forever.

After Brendan’s graduation from paramedic school, they went to the beloved Michigan to celebrate. Brendan asked Claire on a walk to the beach on a beautiful, crisp, autumnal Sunday morning. When they got to the gazebo on the bluff overlooking the lake, Claire looked out over the blue waters, and from behind her, she heard Brendan in the gazebo say, “Hey, Claire.” When she turned he was on one knee holding his mother’s ring and asked if Claire would marry him. She said yes (after she got done shrieking, “Are you serious!!!!”). Then they spent the day walking the beach and the state park, taking in the warm sun in their happy place on Lake Michigan.