Who knew that a simple summer job at the lake could lead to a lifetime love? That’s where it all started. Two kids, a summer job, and a little summer romance. We were 16 when we first met while working summers at the lakefront; Berisha serving tables, and Justin working the pier by day and bussing her tables by night. What began as an easy friendship quickly grew into a teenage romance, the kind that fills entire summers and becomes the backdrop of your favorite memories. But when the seasons changed, life did too. College took us in different directions, and eventually Berisha’s path led her to Chicago and Justin began to buid multiple businesses. We stayed connected in small ways, holiday weekend hellos, hometown run-ins, and the occasional friend group get together. Nearly ten years passed, filled with new cities, new chapters, new careers and all the twists and turns that come with growing up. We built separate lives, but little did we know something would remind us of those summers on the lake the late-night pier chats, the inside jokes, the feeling of being completely understood by someone who felt like home long before we knew what that meant. And then, on a Chucks end of summer night, there we were again (thank you, Megan Wright) To no ones surprise, we both ended up at our favorite spot on the lake: Chuck’s Lakeshore Inn. Just like old times, the band was loud, the transfusions were flowing, and the air carried that LG energy we all know and love. When we saw each other, it was instant. Familiar. Electric in the most comforting way. One conversation turned into hours, and before we knew it, we were laughing the same old laughs, looking back on all the years and wondering how on earth a decade had passed. Thinking again, it was nice to see an old friend we said our goodbyes and went on our way...until the next day... That night at Chuck’s didn’t feel like catching up with someone from your past, it felt like coming home. It was the moment we realized that the connection we’d had as teenagers wasn’t just a chapter. It was the beginning of a story that was always meant to come full circle. Justin began visiting Berisha in Chicago and Berisha seemed to be making a lot more trips back to the lake. From that reconnection forward, our story unfolded with a sense of certainty. The kind you feel in your bones. The kind that reminds you that some people are meant to find their way back to each other. Now, all these years later, we get to celebrate a love that started on the lakefront, grew with time, and returned even stronger. Two sixteen-year-olds who didn’t know they were meeting their future, now choosing forever, back where it all began. We truly cannot wait for this next chapter & to celebrate with you all! Cheers! XO, The Future Benders