LOVE STORIES
Love Isn’t Cancelled THE PANDEMIC TESTED OUR RELATIONSHIPS IN THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY WAYS, BUT CUSTOMERS SHARED STORIES OF TRIUMPH AND DEEPENING CONNECTION. PHOTO BY AMY MOORE
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MANN’S
LAUREN & DAVE How did you meet? We met online. We were both a little hesitant to try online dating, but hey, it worked out! What drew you to each other? From the first date everything was just easy, and it felt like we had known each other forever. We just fit together perfectly. How did going through a pandemic together impact your relationship? We moved in together in February 2020 right before the shutdown. The biggest thing that came out of the pandemic, besides a successful relationship, is that Lauren adjusted to life with a dog and quickly became a full-on dog mom. How did the proposal unfold? Lauren thought she was just going to dinner at Bar Bantam with some friends. While sitting downstairs waiting for dinner, she started to notice her family coming down the escalator one by one, with flowers, then came Dave’s family and finally Dave. After the first few people came down, she was sobbing uncontrollably. Needless to say, it was a “yes!” Tell us about your ring! It’s gorgeous! It’s an oval diamond with matching smaller oval diamonds on each side. Dave had our birthstones, garnet and sapphire, added inside the band as a hidden personalization. Any wedding plans yet? We originally tried to plan for early summer, but with the pandemic, we pushed it to late summer and we’re hopeful that this will give us time to get a little further along with the vaccine rollout. We’re planning on an evening wedding at the top of The Metropolitan. The 360-degree views of the city will be beautiful, especially at sunset. ♥
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ALEXIS & JUSTEN How did you meet? Justen and I worked together at a television station in Illinois. I was on air. Justen was a producer and weather anchor. We anchored weekend, evening newscasts together. What drew you to each other? Justen says I always had a calm demeanor. I was attracted to his kind soul, and of course, he was easy on the eyes. But he looked past my flaws and saw me for me and loved me anyway. We also had so much in common. We liked the same sports teams and had similar taste in music. We also had the same core values. Justen has always been a supporter of mine, and I of him. Just knowing you could feel safe and secure with someone was comforting. Plus, not going to lie I (Justen) couldn’t stop looking at her as she passed my desk. I remember the first time I took notice she was wearing gray pants and a red sweater. She was so unique and gorgeous looking. How did going through a pandemic together impact your relationship? It made us stronger. While I was still working, Justen faced a lot of challenges with his business. He’s a personal trainer and nutritionist and runs his own health-and-wellness business and gym. When restrictions were put in place, many clients took a break. On top of that, we had to parent three children who now had school at home as schools and extracurricular activities changed. We had to figure out a way to be there for each other, support one another emotionally and mentally, while at the same time being honest and strong for our children. One thing we both committed to was each other and our children. We took trips and adventures along with daily walks/ hikes with the kids that has now become a standard, and it is still going to this day. We haven’t missed an outdoor session since March 16th of last year! How did you celebrate your pandemic anniversary? Our 10-year anniversary was in July, and at that point it seemed like we were on our way to flattening the curve. We were able to celebrate as a family in the Thousand Islands. We stayed along Alexandria Bay and toured two castles and enjoyed a boat tour. On the
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