Growing Up

Jennifer and her sister Julie who is a year younger, grew up with Mom and Dad on 138th Place in Crestwood, Illinois. They played in the park and visited their cousins a lot when they weren't having reading contests sponsored by dear old Dad. Jennifer went to Incarnation grade school and Shephard high school where she was a National Merit scholar and a recipient of the Golden Apple scholarship which allowed her to go to DePaul University where she majored in Spanish.

Brandon is the oldest of the five Wilson boys. He grew up in Mokena climbing trees and playing in the fields of Marilyn Estates.Brandon and his brothers went to Frankfort schools and Lincoln-Way High School, where he started an Environmental Club and the school recycling program. Brandon majored in Philosophy and Business at Illinois Wesleyan University and studied abroad at St. Peter's College of Oxford. Brandon and Jennifer grew up apart, but little by little, fate pushed them closer until one day...

How We Met

In August of 1997, Brandon was staying downtown after work to watch a bunch of the co-workers from Howard Johnson & Company run in the Chase Manhattan race.  On that same night, Jennifer was downtown celebrating with fellow students after the last session of her Law School Admission Test prep course.  As each of us came separately to the conclusion of our evening, we both separately made our way to the LaSalle Street Station to catch the train back to our hum-drum south suburban lives...but we both missed the train...

Sitting in the lobby of the train station, Jennifer quietly read from a thick novel and Brandon sat bored looking for ways to amuse himself. Noticing a pretty girl sitting nearby, and without having anything of his own to read, it was only a matter of time before conversation began.  At first Jennifer was curt, then polite and finally she began to chat with Brandon.  Seeing a part of a gladiola on the bench that remained from the day's farmer's market, he gave it to her and asked if he could read her book to her.  As the train pulled in, they made their way to a seat together, and so began their three year courtship.... '

Dating

Shortly after Brandon and Jennifer started dating, Jennifer started her new job as a Spanish Teacher at Plainfield High School.  At about the same time, Brandon got fed up with Corporate America and got this crazy idea about starting an internet business, which he excitedly told Jennifer about while sitting at an outdoor table at Bacino's in Orland Park.  Supportive but skeptical, Jennifer didn't know Brandon well enough yet to tell him what she now tells him all the time..."Honey, forget it." As their first year went on, Brandon and Jennifer both worked crazy hours, Jennifer making lesson plans and grading papers and Brandon designing web sites.  They worked together at Denny's, Baker's Square, or wherever there was a constant supply of munchies and coffee.  They were frantic, but happy to have each other to be with.  As the school year came to a close and Brandon maxed out on his web design abilities, they both determined that a change of pace was in order.  Jennifer signed up for Law School and Brandon merged his web design company with a larger company.  They drifted apart for a while, Jennifer intent on becoming a lawyer and Brandon trying his hand at sales for the larger internet company. It didn't take them long to determine that they had made a mistake.  Their plans had pulled them apart and they belonged together.  Brandon moved from one company to another.  Jennifer followed through on her semester of law school and resolved to pursue a Master's in Guidance Counseling instead of Law. It was a crazy time, and it took several months for both of them to get back on track.  Brandon determined that it was time to start another company of his own.  Having a successful semester of counseling classes under her belt, Jennifer knew that her calling was as a guidance counselor. They moved into apartments across the courtyard from each other in LaGrange, and got back to their roots, working together and spending lots of time enjoying each other's company.

The Engagement

On their first date, Brandon and Jennifer had gone for dinner at Bogart's in Tinley Park where they sat outside and talked for a couple of hours...they then they finished up the night with a drink at Pacini in Orland.  So three years later when it came time for Brandon to propose, he determined that it would be fun to propose at the same table at the same restaurant where they first got aquatinted. The restaurant had since changed hands, but the table was still there.  On a chilly autumn evening, October 7th, he suggested a walk down Oak Park Avenue and when they got to the table of their first date he got down on bended knee and proposed.  Jennifer answered with a smile, "Of course!"  As a newly engaged couple they made their way to Pacini, where they toasted their future together and began making plans.