Charles and Karen met in their first year of law school at Roger Williams University School of Law in Bristol, Rhode Island. Charles followed Karen on social media before classes even started so in their first legal writing class together Karen knew exactly who Charles was. Right after that class Charles messaged Karen on Instagram about a group project and after exchanging phone numbers he quickly asked her out on a date. Charles planned a beautiful Italian dinner date in Bristol however after the date Karen told Charles that she just wanted to be friends. Charles absolutely loves to tell everyone that Karen said no to him for three months!

At the end of their first semester of law school during finals Karen knew she had made a huge mistake and reached back out to Charles to see if he would be interested in another date after winter break. Charles invited Karen over and made her homemade marina sauce and after that she fell head over heels for him (and his Italian cooking).

Karen wanted Charles to meet her best friends right away (Liza & Lexi) but had no idea what to call Charles because he had not officially asked her to be his girlfriend yet. At dinner someone asked Karen who that was sitting with her and she referred to Charles as her "law school friend". The second they got in the car after dinner Charles said I never want you to call me your friend again and then officially asked her to be his girlfriend on February 18, 2021.

Charles met Karen's family very soon after and fit in so perfectly that after that visit Karen knew that Charles was going to be her husband one day. Karen then got to travel to Syracuse for Sophie's baby shower and got to meet the entire Bombard/Russo family. Karen immediately felt like a member of this very big Italian family. The two fell in love extremely quickly and they both knew that they were going to spend the rest of their lives together.

Karen got to watch Charles become an Uncle to Emilia, Arabella, Ronnie and JP and watching him with those four incredible kids is her favorite thing in the world (Karen is also so happy to almost officially be Aunt Keke). Charles and Karen got through all three years of law school together and graduated in May of 2023 both with honors. Charles and Karen got their first "adult jobs" together in their last semester of law school, Charles as a clerk for the Rhode Island Supreme Court and Karen as an associate at a law firm practicing medical malpractice defense. After graduation they studied together for the bar exam for ten weeks straight and could not have gotten through that test without each other.

After taking the bar exam they went on their first vacation together to Cancun, Mexico and on the first night of their trip Charles got down on one knee and proposed to Karen on their balcony overlooking the ocean. After coming back from Mexico as a newly engaged couple they moved in to their first apartment together, started their jobs and found out that they both passed the Rhode Island bar. In November of 2023 Charles and Karen got sworn in together to practice law in the state of Rhode Island.

Charles and Karen met and fell in love in Bristol, Rhode Island. The church they are getting married at, St. Mary's Parish in Bristol, is the first church they went to together. The two continued to attend church at St. Mary's every Sunday throughout their three years of law school. Mount Hope Farm in Bristol is a place where Karen and Charles took many walks by the water to escape their law school and bar exam stress and Karen always dreamed of their wedding being there. We are so happy to share our love story and Bristol, Rhode Island with all of you. Thank you for being a part of our story!