We're so excited to (FINALLY) CELEBRATE WITH YOU!

With all the uncertainty going on about when we would be able to safely celebrate with family and friends, we made the decision to get legally married in an intimate ceremony on our original date. We are so happy to be married, but can not WAIT to celebrate the way we originally planned with all of our family and friends!

Christine and Alex met through the Loyola University Chicago School of Law, when Alex was one of four faculty members for a weekend negotiations seminar that Christine happened to attend. Alex was filling in for a friend that preferred not to work on his birthday weekend. Christine instantly caught Alex's eye (Alex even texted his friend about Christine before the seminar even began telling him that he was missing out (both Alex and his friend were single at the time)). During the seminar, Alex tried his best to maximize the time he got with Christine and her negotiation partner during the mock negotiation sessions. It was a difficult task as the negotiations groups rotated frequently. Christine noticed Alex too (including his frequent gazes) and thought I don't know why this guy keeps looking at me, but he's pretty cute. :) A few weeks after the negotiation seminar, fate brought Christine and Alex together again when they ran into each other at a birthday party at Fulton Market Kitchen. Neither Christine nor Alex had been there before. Alex was attending the birthday party of two friends from high school. Christine was tagging along with one of her bridesmaids, Katy Wolff, who, unbeknownst to Christine or Alex at the time, went to the same high school as Alex and knew one of the birthday celebrants. Alex happened to walk up to the front door of Fulton Market Kitchen at the same time as Christine, Katy, Maid of Honor Juliann, and Bridesmaid Natalie. Alex held the door open for the ladies as Christine and Alex recognized each other. Christine gave Alex the "where do you I know you from look" and he quickly responded with "Christine, right? Alex from the Loyola negotiation seminar." After the ice was broken, Alex entertained the ladies at the front bar before everyone realized that the party was at the back bar in the back room (no one had been there before). Later that night, Christine and Alex exchanged phone numbers and the rest is history!

Alex planned to surprise Christine with the proposal; a perfect time was while walking their dog, Bella. Christine really liked the view of the Chicago skyline from the riverwalk where they occasionally took Bella near their apartment. As Christine's birthday approached, Alex inquired how Christine wanted to celebrate. Christine wanted to try the restaurant, Beatnik on the River, and said she would make a reservation. Little did Christine know that her choice in birthday dinner venue only solidified Alex's proposal plans. Beatnik on the River happens to be across from the riverwalk where Alex wanted to propose. How perfect would it be to have dinner on the river looking at the spot where only a day earlier, I proposed, he thought. So it was set: Alex would propose on September 22, a day before Christine's birthday. The 22nd fell on a Sunday in 2019 and Christine happened to be reliving her college years in Bloomington, IN with girlfriends for a bachelorette party that weekend. Alex figured that Christine would get back and want to take Bella for a longer walk. The only problem was that it was raining all day on September 22 and Bella refuses to walk in the rain. So, while watching football and checking his fantasy football scores, Alex was also constantly checking the weather radar for a rain-free window. Finally, at 4:15pm, they would have a 30 minutes. However, Christine received a phone call just before 4pm. With the way Christine greeted the caller, Stacey (our officiant!), Alex knew that Christine was preparing for a long conversation. Alex tried to get Christine off of the phone with a few guilt trips, but his final attempt to get Christine to join him and Bella on a walk was met with a "can you just take her, please?" So Alex took Bella out by himself and resolved to propose when he returned to the apartment. When back upstairs, Alex told Christine, "you're too stubborn for your own good," dropped to a knee and proposed.