Alex & Katlyn's Story

Alex and Katlyn's journey began in the digital age when they met on Hinge, the best dating app, in September 2021. Two shoutouts here: first, Tanner McKerlie - Katlyn's roommate at the time - for showing her the Bo Burnham special "Inside" days (or was it weeks?) before Katlyn and Alex matched on Hinge so she actually understood all the jokes on Alex's profile, and second, the Shell's for letting Alex take a photo with their dog, Hoosier, and unintentionally tricking Katlyn into thinking he had an adorable dog. Once they established that Alex did not, in fact, have a dog, but did still like dogs, their connection was instant, setting the stage for a series of memorable dates and shared experiences that would shape their relationship.

A Nervous First Date

Their first date took place in Wicker Park - Katlyn's neighborhood. Alex, feeling the weight of first-date jitters, admitted his nervousness to Katlyn on his way to meet her. This candid confession surprisingly calmed Katlyn's own nerves, creating a sense of mutual understanding from the very beginning. They dined at Club Lucky, savoring delicious Italian pasta, and then took a leisurely walk around the neighborhood. As they enjoyed Jeni's Ice Cream, rain began to fall, adding a touch of romantic spontaneity. They ran to Katlyn's apartment to avoid the rain where they shared an episode of their favorite shows, watched the new "Aladdin," and where Katlyn, feeling completely at ease (and narcoleptic as ever), fell asleep on Alex's chest until the movie ended.

An Unforgettable Second Date

Their second date was equally memorable but for a different reason. Katlyn visited Alex in his neighborhood of Lakeview. They enjoyed pizza, frozen yogurt, and walking around the City, but the day took an unexpected turn when Katlyn, feeling unwell, ended up revisiting her dinner (yes, this means what you think it means) in the bushes outside of Alex's apartment. Let's just say they were glad to have made it out of the elevator and building before this happened! This unplanned moment, while not ideal, only strengthened their bond, as Alex showed compassion and understanding during Katlyn's vulnerable moment.

Adventures

Their relationship continued to blossom as they embarked on their first vacation together to Zion National Park in Utah with Alex's friends. The trip included a surprise birthday celebration for Katlyn, an accidental ice cream trip a shop owned by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (yes, this is the one that Netflix documentary is based on.... anything for some ice cream!), several hikes through the park's breathtaking trails, and supporting each other through the more challenging moments. Their shared love of trying new things and making memories was evident as they explored the historic national parks together.

Over the next few years, Alex and Katlyn went on many memorable trips including a Janezick family vacation to Marco Island, Florida for Katlyn's grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary highlighting their love for family and making lasting memories with them, traveling to Los Angeles to celebrate Katlyn becoming a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (including an accidental hostel stay...whoops) - a testament to their support of each other's accomplishments, and most recently, visiting Charleston, South Carolina for some R&R where they got to enjoy experiencing a new place with rich history with the person they enjoy the most. Now you might be thinking - what a perfect backdrop for an engagement, at least that's what Katlyn's family thought, but it was not to be just yet!

Shared Interests and Fun Facts

Alex and Katlyn might have met on a dating app, but it seems God's hand was at work to get them to meet. Not only did they attend the same church (different locations, but joint programming), but they also worked in the same building, the Aon Center.

Katlyn is a girl who loves her family with all her heart. She enjoys playing board games, reading, anything in the fresh air, and cherishes quality time with friends and family alike whether that be through volleyball leagues or holiday traditions like pumpkin carving and decorating gingerbread houses. She has introduced Alex to some of her favorite things, including Asian cuisine (still working to get him to like Thai), "Gilmore Girls," and Hallmark movies/romantic comedies.

Alex has been able to share his affinity for movies and video games with Katlyn. They have watched many movie series together (when Katlyn can stay awake of course), including Harry Potter and Star Wars, and his favorite show, The Office. Alex also taught Katlyn how to play one of his favorite video games, Fortnite! Finally, Alex has shared his love of the game of baseball with Katlyn and they have enjoyed attending many Cubs games together!

After 2 years and 364 days, Alex proposed to Katlyn under the ruse of celebrating their three year anniversary. After lunch at one of their favorite places, Deep Purpl, they walked along the lake where Alex gifted Katlyn a personalized puzzle. Surprisingly, a piece was "missing" from the puzzle, which Alex instructed Katlyn to look for in the box - Katlyn obliged, assuming that this was a ruse as the pieces were quite large and would be difficult to miss. After an unsuccessful search in the box, Katlyn turned to Alex where he handed her the final piece, was on his knee, and asked her to marry him while their parents and some of Katlyn's best friends watched on from a distance! It was such an exciting day filled with so much joy, celebration, and love!

Alex and Katlyn's relationship is built on a strong foundation in Christ. They strive to help each other become more like Him through their marriage and pray that their marriage would be used to spread God's love to the lives of those around them. They have been blessed to make so many incredible memories, to grow together through life's challenges and celebrations, and to have the love and support of so many friends and family along the way.

They are so excited and grateful to get to celebrate this next step in their relationship with all of you soon!

Registry