Stonearch Bridge 2007

While our stories have evolved since this was written (i.e. we are now married and starting a family), the below is a retelling of how we eventually came to be - told from two somewhat varying perspectives.

Jayme's Story: “Our Story” isn’t a definitive tale of “boy meets girl” – rather it’s a collection of years, months, weeks and most importantly, moments I’ll never forget. I still remember what Kirk was wearing the day I met him our freshman year at St. Cloud State University; I still remember the date. Everything about that day - the weather, what I ate for dinner - is still vivid in my mind. Funny, at the time I didn’t know that was a day I was “suppose” to remember– but somehow, it stuck with me. As fate had it, we lived in the same town home complex our sophomore year. He would stop over every now and then to bug my roommates and steal a beer out of our fridge. My roommates at the time kept saying that I should start dating Kirk, that we would be “so cute” together. I wasn’t having any of it. One weekend, Kirk’s friend Steve stopped by our apartment – when I asked Steve where Kirk was, he informed me that Kirk had gone home for the weekend. The oddest thing happened – I suddenly missed Kirk. That was weird, why did I “miss” Kirk? Sometime shortly after that, Kirk and I ended up in Acapulco for Spring break with our respective group of friends. We were inseparable from that point on. I would say “the rest is history,” but that’s not the case. Kirk and I continued to date for the next 5 years before ending things in 2003. I was heart broken but determined to move on with my life.  In the two years we were broken up, not a single day passed where I wouldn’t at least think about him or wonder how he was doing. I always believed that fate would bring us back together. It’s hard to say what exactly brought us back together. . . maybe it was the text messages we exchanged over Elton John’s song “Tiny Dancer” song or, as Kirk would say, “Tony Danza” song. Maybe it had something to do with me running into Kirk’s mom, Debbie, and her encouraging him to “call me.” Maybe it was at the Union Bay Oyster House in Boston where Kirk and I both ended up for Heather and Andy’s bachelor/bachelorette weekend. Who knows. It doesn’t matter. What’s important is that I am about to marry my best friend. I’m so grateful to have a kind, gentle, patient and loving person like Kirk in my life. He’s already an amazing husband - we just aren’t married yet. I’m counting the days until August 2^nd, a day that’s been in the making for so long and a day we will continue to celebrate the rest of our lives. A day, much like they very first day we met, I will remember forever. Kirk, I love you, you’re the best.  

Kirk's Story: It was a cold winter afternoon in 1997 when a young and confident St. Cloud State University freshman named Kirk Anderson - our groom - decided to stroll down the hall to his friend John's dorm room to plan the weekend. Kirk's life was forever changed when he encountered a fellow freshman gal who was present in John's dorm visiting a friend of hers. That fellow SCSU freshman was a beautiful and talkative 19 year girl from Maple Grove named Jayme Malone - our bride. Although Jayme mistook Kirk's confidence as cockiness at first, she could not deny his charm and the fact that he is devilishly handsome. They became quick friends, although it was not until a year later that the 2 actually started dating. Now, more than 10 years have passed and Kirk and Jayme are still together and as happy as ever. On September 1, 2007, on a beautiful summer morning, Kirk proposed to Jayme on the historic Stone Arch Bridge in Minneapolis, MN. After some initial shock, Jayme eventually said "yes." The couple will officially become husband and wife on August 2, 2008 at the Minneapolis Woman's Club. We are excited to spend the celebration of our marriage with all of our closest family and friends. See you then.