Leslie and John’s paths met in the city of St. Louis. John grew up just across the river in Belleville, Illinois, while Leslie found herself migrating west to St. Louis for graduate school. After graduating and finding her first job she moved to the beautiful tree-lined streets of the DeBaliviere Place neighborhood where she adopted her first dog, Penny. John coincidentally moved to the same street as Leslie, living only a few steps away. The street had an old tennis court that functioned as a de facto dog run where neighbors and their dogs came to socialize. John was introduced to Leslie among this circle of dog owner friends and Leslie was never more thankful than to have adopted Penny! John wasted no time asking Leslie out on their first date at a local hot spot, the Royale. The rest is St. Louis history!

After the two moved to New York in February 2019, John began planning his proposal and on a blue-sky day in late May he took the opportunity to take Leslie on a surprise picnic. Of course, the real surprise he planned was the proposal. And, as they walked over the Gothic Bridge in Central Park, John popped the question. She said yes and they celebrated with a glass of wine and a picnic lunch next to the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir Lake. And that wasn’t the last surprise- John had also planned to take Leslie to the Standard Hotel for cocktails at sunset and incredible dinner. See you in New York!