As told by Tyler:

Ours is a story of reluctance, stubbornness, and persistence. Absence of any of those three qualities and you wouldn't be reading this story right now. We met while working in the same laboratory in Middleton, WI, but it wasn't always what it is now. As a matter of fact, as far as first impressions go, it couldn't have been much worse. The first time we spoke, I couldn't help but think that working in the same lab as this person was going to be a nightmare. However, a few months later horror turned into curiosity and despite Amanda's (Mandy's) reluctance she finally agreed to dinner with me. (Okay, I admit, Mandy didn't really agree to dinner but she had gotten into a car accident and I thought she could use a distraction, and who better than me?) We had a great time together, however, a week later I was being ignored. I couldn't believe it. Completely taken aback, I decided to persist once again. I couldn't help but believe there was something special about Mandy (either that or I'm a glutton for punishment). Mandy continued her reluctance until a little birdie named Kris Whipple told her to take a chance and she did. A month and half, hundreds of miles driving around to nowhere and as many conversations about anything and everything, Mandy finally decided to stop being so stubborn. I knew I had found the love of my life and a year later I asked her to marry me, but not before making her put on her bow hunting clothes. That's right, I made her dress in camo before I proposed. It's true that I'm looking forward to our wedding. It's likely to be a hell of a party, or at least I hope it is for all of you. Even more so than the wedding though, I am so very excited for what's to come after. Mandy is my world, and I couldn't be happier or feel more blessed. I look forward to seeing you all on our wedding day as Mandy and I begin the next stage in our lives, together. Let's just say I'm grateful we're as stubborn and persistent as we are.

As told by Amanda:

For those of you who may not know, I am a true believer that things happen for a reason. In this case, Tyler and I could have met each other on a number of occasions before we actually did.

Opportunity 1: When I was in high-school, I applied to go to my number one choice of schools which was UW-LaCrosse, where I was going to major in Chemistry. Unfortunately (or maybe I should say fortunately) I didn't get accepted. The reason I say fortunately is because Tyler went to LaCrosse and majored in Bio-Chemistry. We were bound to at least see each other, run into one another, or even have a class or two together. However, we both had some growing and learning to do before we met one another.

Opportunity 2: While we were both in the last two years of our college education, my mom and dad got invited to a wedding for two people that my dad worked with, Cassidy Sprenger and Casey LeMay. Cassidy told my dad that I was more than welcome to come, however, I decided not to go. Little did I know, Cassidy was telling her cousin (Tyler) that her boss might be bringing his daughter who is cute and his (Tyler's) age. Again, good thing I didn't go because I would have referred to Tyler as the crazy guy who spun on his head with the help of his brother to all of my friends.

Finally came time for me to graduate college and apply for jobs. I started filling out an application on-line for Pharmaceutical Product and Development (PPD) and decided to just upload my resume and not submit the application because I wasn't sold on living in Madison. Well, I was going to Madison whether I liked it or not because a recruiter ended up seeing my resume and thought I would be a perfect fit for the job. I was at PPD for a little over a year when in walked this new kid into the lab. At first I thought to myself, "He's cute, short, but cute". Then I caught myself randomly staring at him and thinking to myself "He looks really nice, I'm sure he'd make a great boyfriend, however, he's probably taken" and then immediately snapping my-self out of it when he would look over in my direction. There were a number of times within his first couple days that I wanted to introduce my-self to him but I was too shy for that. Then the day came when I would talk to him for the first time and boy was I mean. I yelled at him and told him not to touch my things and put them back because I had to come into work that Saturday and wanted everything in its place so I could get in and out. He put my stuff back right where I had it and left the lab. I may have not left the greatest first impression, however, I was still curious about this kid. So I would make up excuses to go to his side of the lab where I would start striking up casual conversation. Well these conversations got longer and longer and eventually Tyler got the hint and asked me to hang out with him one night. So we hung out a couple times and I could feel myself falling for him very quickly which scared me. So, I thought to myself "I need to get rid of him, this is too good to be true", I know I'm dumb. So, I quit talking to him and was kind of mean to him, however, he didn't get the hint. I called my mom up one night and was talking to her and said "Mom, I've been hanging out with this guy from work but I just don't know about him, I think there's something wrong with him. I've been ignoring him and giving him one word responses to his questions (which needed more than one word to answer) but he won't go away". Well that weekend I went home (perfect timing) and my mom talked to me and said "I remember you telling me not too long ago, that the man you were meant to be with would fight for you and not let you push him away no matter how hard you tried. Mandy I think this is him and you're going to pass him up if you don't give him a chance." So for the first time in my life I listened to my mom's advice. Boy am I glad I didn't try to figure it out on my own because I would have passed up the best thing that has ever happened to me.

Registry