What’s our story?

That probably depends who you ask, so we’ll give you both.

JOE’S PERSPECTIVE

So I’m sitting at a table with a few friends — my now best man Toby and a few other guys — at a bar near Michigan State’s campus. And in walks a friend of mine and her roommates, who I hadn’t really met (maybe?). But Taylor, the beautiful, smart blonde walked in last and immediately caught my eye. Sometimes I think I knew right then and there. So I told my friend/her roommate, who I had met years earlier, that I’d wanted to introduce myself but was probably a little too nervous to do so that night.

She told Taylor about our conversation. I mean, of course, right?

So who shows up at our house on Gunson Street (those who know Gunson know what we’re talking about) the next week? Taylor. I got lucky. So we connected and went out on a date at Lansing Brewing Co. — a lovely spot in downtown Lansing. She and I talked about life, our future plans since we only had one semester of college left and had no idea where we’d end up, and talked about family and all that comes with it.

We left and I drove her home. She told me she was feeling the drinks she had, I laughed, and immediately hoped this wouldn’t be the last time we saw each other.

I dropped her off in my nearly broken down sedan. I went on my way. It wasn’t the last time we saw each other, of course. And here we are.

Life is funny isn’t it? You meet, you fall in love, and now I am lucky enough to get to marry my best friend and the best woman I’ve ever met.

TAYLOR’S PERSPECTIVE

We connected through my roommate, who was dating Joe’s roommate at the time. We had only met briefly, but he had a presence that I definitely did not forget.

One day after a long day of classes and the career fair, my roommate suggested that us and our other roommates go grab a drink at Dublin. At one point, she had walked away to go talk to a table of some of her friends she saw there, one of them being Joe.

After a couple drinks, my friends and I left the bar. As soon as we walked out the door, my roommate immediately told me that one of the guys she was speaking with thought I was cute, and it was Joe Dandron. Really?? Joe??

That weekend, my friend had told us that her boyfriend and his roommates were hosting a small party at their house, and that Joe would be there. Knowing that he had expressed interest in me, you bet I was going to be there and talk to him! We exchanged numbers, went on a date to get dinner and drinks where we talked for 3 hours, and the rest is history.

We’re really lucky, and we talk about it all the time, because we know how rare it is to found what we have with each other. And now we get to get married at the place we met and love, surrounded by our family and friends.