The Story of Ryan and Lauren

As told by Lauren...

It was July of 2007. She went to the Mall of America with a friend. They stopped at the Gloria Jean's coffee cart so she could grab a cuppa joe to keep her strength up for shopping.

She asked her friend, "What did you do last weekend?"

The friend replied, "I met this guy.... he is exactly your type."

...

Fast forward to late November of 2007. She agrees to go on a date with a tall, dark-haired country boy. He wins points off the bat by choosing to take her to an Indian restaurant.

Later that night, he loses points by agreeing to split the check.

She is convinced that he doesn't like her. Why does he keep blinking so much? She goes to the restroom and when she returns, he's playing with his cell phone. She thinks to herself, 'Oh, god. He doesn't like me. He's texting a friend, telling them to call him with an "emergency" so he can get out of this date as fast as possible.'

He was actually playing Scrabble on his phone. He loves Scrabble. He suggests they continue the evening at a local bar, and she agrees.

He wins points back by buying her a beer.

She kisses him in a parking garage in the 10-degree Fahrenheit weather.

The next day, it blizzards. She can't stop thinking about him. He tells a friend that he thinks he's met "the one".

...

Fast forward to September of 2008. He has something up his sleeve, and everybody knows it. He tells her that he has a surprise weekend planned.

He proposes in downtown Minneapolis on September 12th. She says yes. He pops a shiny diamond ring on her finger and they call everyone they have ever met to share the news.

...

Fast forward to October of 2009. They will exchange vows of marriage at half-past-three in the afternoon in the presence of friends and family at Grace University Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Cocktails, dinner, dancing, and happily ever after to follow.