How We Met

Tom: I saw Lauren sitting on a patio in Toronto on the first real day of spring; the sun was out, and the patio was packed. She and her friend had gym bags beside them and shots on the table in front of them. Naturally, I had questions.

So I walked over and asked if the shots were before or after a workout. Not my smoothest line, but it got a giggle, and that was enough.

Lauren: My friend Chantal and I were enjoying a post-workout drink on a beautiful Friday afternoon, when this guy appeared out of nowhere. He was charismatic, a bit of a talker, and had us laughing with a good story. Bold move, but it worked.

We didn’t have much time, but we exchanged numbers. Later that night, we met again at an Irish bar, The Friar, and somewhere between the conversation and the laughs, it felt easy.

Tom: At the end of the night, Lauren walked me to my hotel, and I remember thinking, I really wish I had met her in Ottawa.

Lauren: We both knew after that first night that our connection was worth pursuing.

The Long-Distance Chapter

Lauren: For a while, it was Toronto and Ottawa; a lot of time spent traveling back and forth, and a lot of weekends that felt much too short.

Tom: The hardest part wasn’t the distance; it was getting Lauren to her train on time. That was always…a challenge.

Every goodbye came with the same phrase: “All the things.” All the plans, all the adventures, all the things we had to look forward to in the future.

Building a Life Together

Lauren: My lease in Toronto came to an end, and moving to Ottawa felt like the logical next step.

Tom: Initially, Lauren moved into my condo. It was great, but we were desperate for more space, so we bought a house, and within three weeks we came home with our pride and joy, Louie.

Lauren: Louie is our dog; he completes our family and fills the house with joy.

The Proposal

After five years together, we went on a scuba diving trip to Bonaire.

Tom: I told Lauren we were going on a boat dive...

Lauren: Looking back, there were signs - no other divers on the boat, a GoPro documenting our dive, and a suspiciously fancy charcuterie board. I ignored all of them.

Tom: After the dive, I asked Lauren to look out at the water for a photo. While her back was turned, I got down on one knee, and when she turned back around I asked her, “Will you marry me?”

Lauren: I said, "Of course!"