Jack and Elise's story began long before they could have ever imagined it would. At 14 years old, they met in homeroom at St. Catherine’s High School. They were just two teenagers sharing classes, laughs, and a close-knit group of friends. While sparks hadn’t quite flown yet, their lives quietly intertwined in a way that would matter much later.

After high school, Jack and Elise went their separate ways for college, each growing, learning, and chasing new paths. Jack went on to study accounting at the University of Notre Dame while Elise went to the University of Wisconsin - Madison to study biology and eventually pharmacy. Years passed... and then the world slowed down.

When the pandemic brought school and work back home, it also reunited their hometown friend group. What started as reconnecting with familiar faces quickly turned into something more. Jack and Elise bonded over a shared sense of humor, their love for travel, and of course their Irish roots! A relationship sparked, even if it had to begin long distance.

Elise slowly but surely closed the gap—moving from Madison, to Milwaukee, and eventually to Chicago’s West Loop. In 2024, she finally made the move to Lincoln Park, Jack's home since 2019. This is when Jack and Elise welcomed their perfect pup, Henry, into the family.

One year later, during their sixth annual “Up North” trip, Jack proposed to Elise surrounded by their closest St. Catherine’s friends. It was a full-circle moment, a reminder that sometimes the best love stories take a couple extra years (and maybe a few zip codes!) to get right.

From their homeroom classroom to forever, Jack and Elise can’t wait to celebrate the next chapter with all the people who have been a part of their story. ❤️

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