We met on OkCupid - a dating app in early 2015. Mark started chatting to Anna first, and she doesn't remember exactly what he said, but it was something about pancakes. Mark asked Anna to go out with him on Valentine's day - it landed on a Saturday that year and it was the next available weekend for the both of them. Anna wasn't exactly sure about it because if it didn't work out, she knew she would forever look down on Valentine's day as a bad first date experience. However, she had nothing else to do that day so she said yes. Mark made dinner reservations at the Great Dane Eastside in Madison and offered to pick her up. Anna couldn't believe it, no on had ever offered to pick her up before, especially not for a first date. Dinner went very well, and then they went bowling, then red boxed a movie that they started to watch but ended up just talking until almost 4am. A first date that lasts almost 10 hours?! They made plans to go to Noodles the following Wednesday. Less than 24 hours later Mark was already texting Anna asking to see her again sooner than Wednesday.

Every Valentine's day we make a point to do something as a celebration of our first date. Well Valentine's day 2019 we didn't make any plans. Mark came over after work and talked about going to Shopko, or Woodman's and Anna just wanted to order a pizza and relax! Mark moved a pillow on the bed and a ring box tumbled out. Literally tumbled out. Anna was in shock. She couldn't open the box, so Mark did and asked her if she would marry him. Obviously she said yes. The ring actually fit - it's from an antique jewelry store and Mark had purchased it that day. Then they ordered pizza - heart pizza from Pizza Hut.

Everyone assumes this must be near where Anna grew up. But she grew up about 2 hours away - closer to Madison WI. Anna did live in and went to college in La Crosse WI and it's always felt like home to her even though she's lived in the Madison WI area for much longer now. We actually choose Norskedalen because Mark wanted a venue in the driftless area. A lot of his family is from Illinois, and he wanted to have a wedding in a sweet location. It's not a super popular venue, and it is outdoors mostly, with a pavilion. But it is breathtakingly beautiful. The bluffs and hills are almost like mountains and it's incredibly peaceful out there. Hotel blocks will be in La Crosse WI and we will provide transportation from the hotel to the venue and back. We ask that people staying in the hotels to please take advantage of the transportation especially if you are planning to drink alcoholic beverages and also due to very limited parking spots at the venue.