Hi there! We're so glad you stopped by!  Here's a peek into our story:
 
           We met at Al's house party in 2010 through our best man Sam. At the party, Alex made Lauren a drink (the host with the most) and we clicked instantly, finding SO many similarities between us. We went to rival catholic high schools, had mutual friends, rooted for the same teams, and had plenty of school spirit (Alex was about to make the Notre Dame Drumline 🥁 while Lauren was a Western Michigan University Cheerleader 📣)...the list goes on. Aside from the tangible similarities, it was the INTANGIBLES that immediately planted the seeds of a much deeper, more meaningful bond. Soon after, we found ourselves talking on the phone for hours, texting incessantly, swapping burned CDs💿 and enjoying time together until summer inevitably drew to a close. 🍂

          We returned to our respective colleges and chaotic schedules and life changes made long-distance a challenge. We decided to go our separate ways and later reconnected to be "just friends,” ........ but who were we kidding?! Looking back, there was always something more there.

           We traveled down different paths after college graduation. Over the years, we made the effort to check in with one another periodically, but lived different lives for over a decade, learning a lot about ourselves along the way, and ultimately deciding what we wanted out of this life. 

            ( ⏭️ Fast-forward nearly 13 years)

              By the time we reconnected, we'd both been through the unthinkable. We'd individually navigated the darkness of loss, learned painful lessons, and experienced life-changing growth opportunities, all while searching out our God-given purpose in this life. But as we all know, He works in mysterious ways - while we might make plans, God has strategy. The undeniable spark we felt when we met as teens,  and the chances of us being able to rediscover that spark 13 years later as adults...
It honestly feels like lighting striking twice. ⚡️⚡️

           Life changed us in so many ways, but our hearts remain the same. Now, we look at each other with a newfound level of appreciation because the facts are crystal clear: All we ever wanted and needed was right in front of us the entire time, hidden in plain sight after all these years.

           We've all heard it said: Marry your best friend. 💍 These days, we've never resonated with anything more deeply. We see so much light in our future together because we whole-heartedly believe that this entire experience is so much bigger than us:
✨ It's truly God-ordained.✨

           If you've read this far, you must really love us, but not as much as we love YOU!  We are grateful for your support of us as individuals and as we prepare for our marriage. Thank you for the impact you've had on us both individually and as a couple. We are beyond blessed to have you as a part of our support system❤️
 
P.s. Alex's real last name is Szotko, but it's pronounced "Shot-co" in Polish 🇵🇱 , so, of course, we had to capitalize on that one.
 
Welcome to the ShotCo.

xo,
 
Lauren & Alex