Our Story
Growing up 3 houses down the street from one another on Cavalier Drive, Dan and Steph had lots of opportunities to get to know each other even before they knew they were meant to be a couple forever. Their families, friends for many years, always spent a lot of time together while they were growing up. In these times, many great memories were formed; some among them include trips up to Ski Brule and camping at Yogi Bear, night games in the neighborhood, and New Year’s Eve Parties which all took place before Dan and Steph gave each other a second look.
Years passed and Dan started at Marquette University in 1997 while Stephanie was just beginning her high school years at Catholic Memorial. Throughout Dan’s college years, he spent lots of time hanging out with Stephanie’s older 
brother Bryon, at the Riesch’s, and somehow Stephanie always managed to be around. She found herself having a crush on one of her older brother’s friends. While a friendship between Steph and Dan continued to deepen, Stephanie started school at Marquette and with her eye on a mature 5th year senior. However, being the mature 5th year senior that he was, he wanted Stephanie to experience her freshman year free of any commitments. While both continued to follow their own paths of life, they both secretly thought somehow they would end up together.
It wasn’t until 2 years later at Jack and Katie’s wedding when the final song played that Dan asked Stephanie to dance. At that very moment, the two of them knew there was a very special attraction. A week later they went on their first official date together at the Pizza Man, downtown Milwaukee. The comfort level, the shared experiences, the common memories all made the evening wonderful, but it became special too as they both realized that this relationship was about to take on a new dimension of love.
Stephanie, a junior at Marquette, was scheduled to study in Oxford, England leaving at the beginning of January for a semester. How could this be when this new relationship was just beginning? Distance, however, really does make the heart grow fonder. After many enormous phone bills and lengthy e-mails, Dan booked a flight to Ireland where Stephanie met him and they traveled the Irish country side for two unforgettable weeks.
Over the next 3 years, Dan and Steph chose to fill their time with one another. Whether it was watching Marquette games, vacationing in Jackson Hole, playing at never- ending tennis matches, or just hanging out at the lake, the two found themselves to be a perfect match for each other.
We got engaged on June 16, 2006 and now we are keeping busy with wedding plans, enjoying family and friends, and planning our future together. Please join us on October 20, 2007 in our celebration of love.
Thinking that I just had the most perfect day imaginable, Dan still had more up his sleeve. He told me that he was taking me out to dinner but would not tell me where we were going to dinner. We got all ready ( I painted my nails) and we headed downtown. I found out as we were walking that we were going to Coast on the Lakefront. We walked in to check in and Dan had arranged for my whole family and his whole family to be waiting in a reserved room to surprise us. Having our both families their made the dream complete. I was ecstatic! We spent the night enjoying each other and our families and toasting to each other. It was the most wonderful of nights for the end to an engagement that I will never forget. Dan has fulfilled my dreams and I am honored to be marrying such a special man.