Lou and Kristin met 10 years ago through their mutual friend, Kirsten, who met Lou through a local running group here in Chicago. It wasn't until February of 2008 that they really began to get to know each other... Someone got a crazy idea that it would be "fun" to run a 5-mile race in the middle of February. In a small, sleepy, unknown town outside of Chicago, called Channahon, Illinois. Kristin had recently moved to Chicago from sunny California, and was frequently looking for things to keep her busy on the weekends, even if it meant slugging through a 5-mile run in the snow and freezing cold. And so...the magic began. Well, not quite. Kristin was pretty quiet and mostly annoyed by the whole experience. Lou, the more gregarious type, would poke fun at her to see if he could get a rise. Or even a smile for that matter! Running aside, Lou and Kristin became wonderful friends over the years. Sharing runs, laughs, tears, meals and travels. More recently, that friendship has evolved into a loving relationship, where kindness, generosity and optimism, make up the core of who they are as a couple. We are beyond excited to celebrate our love with all of you. We welcome all of our close friends and family to join in the celebration, and to enjoy the beautiful city of Chicago while you're at it!