WE’RE MARRIED... NOW LET’S CELEBRATE!

Long story short, it all started in a high school hallway. Chris was the best friend of Jon. Jon was the best friend of Alex. Janel and Alex dated all of freshman year and broke up once school was out. The entire summer, Janel kept hearing about this “Chris guy” from Jon, so when sophomore year started she insisted they be introduced. Here comes the hallway part. Jon called Chris over to his locker and bluntly stated “Janel said she needed to meet you” and that was that. BUT in Janel’s mind, he was SO CUTE. However, Janel was currently dating someone else so Chris was put on the backburner, but only for a hot second. Fast forward about a month to Six Flags Fright Fest with her circle (Chris was somehow now a part of this group too) and they decide to dare a haunted house. The order went like this: Jon, Chris, Janel, current boyfriend, etc. Turns out Janel needed to hold someone’s waist and put her face in another’s back THE ENTIRE TIME because no way was she facing those creepers. And who happened to be in front of her? CHRIS! A spur of the moment, *almost* unconscious decision and that feeling of safety from a (kind of) stranger turned into high school butterflies and the ultimate quest. By the end of the weekend, Janel was single and had now begun talking to Chris through every channel she could. Complete stalker status. But all it took was two more weeks. Now we find ourselves at The Rave in Milwaukee for Janel’s 16th birthday with the same crew. Leaning against a pole, listening to the opening band, already sick of standing, Chris leans over like the typical high school boy and awkwardly asks “Will you be my girlfriend?” And the rest is history!

Our venue was officially booked on June 2nd, 2019 after falling in love with a roof-less construction site. This is the day Chris also announced to both sets of parents, that he had every *intention* to propose by the end of the summer! In most people's minds, summer ends on August 31st, right? WRONG! Apparently, we were going by fall equinox (9/23) - unbeknownst to everyone except Chris. In the most accurate description an early childhood teacher can give, Janel had EXTREME ants in her pants! The daily reminders, *not so subtle* hints, and tension was at an all time high. September 21st, 2019 Chris was working early and came home hours before Janel even wanted to get up. He got Kimber all riled up on the bed, and insisted on taking her for a family walk. Before 9:00am? Absolutely not! But after being continuously annoyed, Janel got up, but not without picking a fight about why they weren't engaged yet! (Chris was going to propose in the woods so it didn't matter as long as she got up!) Here we find Janel in the bathroom, hair half done in a bra and leggings, frustrated and yelling at Chris in another room. Instead of trying to calm her down, he says everything he can to get her angry EVEN MORE! (This is when the plan changed & he realized he could catch her completely off guard!) Chris quickly grabbed the ring from his coat pocket and got ready in the living room. He very seriously responds to Janel with the words he knew would set her off most, "Well you're not getting engaged by Monday so just let it go." (Chris had never confirmed nor denied anything about proposing up to this point) PISSED! Janel was PISSED, ya'll! Stomping into the living room and screaming out the biggest tangent in the world on her way, she sees Chris down on one knee and goes jaw-dropped silent. Secretly laughing the entire time, Chris does his thing and all is well again! Just 25 days short of being together for 11 years & 1 day left of summer, they were finally happily engaged.