We're so excited to celebrate with you!

Larisa and Shawn met in a modern underground speak easy known as Ace Gillette's. The up-class bar is located in the downtown district of Fort Collins, Colorado. Coincidentally, both Shawn and Larisa had separate friend groups from the same local church, Mill City, going to the bar that night and ended up meeting at the bar once the groups had gotten word of the other's plans. Bridal party member Greta Gildemeister invited Shawn's group to join them, and it was there that Shawn met Larisa. After a great night Larisa and Shawn exchanged contacts and planned a subsequent date to meet up. To make a long story short, their first date at Funkwerks Brewing went fantastic and much to Shawn's surprise, Larisa turned down Shawn's request to spend more time together. At the time Larisa was not mentally prepared for a long-term relationship, which was the expectation that Shawn had laid out. Respecting her wishes, Shawn left her with an open invitation to pick up where they left off whenever she was ready. It would be another four months before Larisa would end up accepting his request and asking him on a second date to Horsetooth Reservoir. From that day forward the two have been 'Goin' Steady' and have worked hard to prepare themselves for the bond of marriage.